


First Snow

by A_to_B_and_C



Series: EXOVERSE [25]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Baekhyun is a falsifier/thief, Bottom Park Chanyeol, Chanyeol is part of something in between mafia and a gang, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Mention of blood and violence, Sexual Tension, Smut, You will read it as you go, and guns obviously, but also a jeweller, did I mention blue diamond, obviously written under the influences of UN Village and City Lights when it exited, same as Sehun and Minseok and Junmyeon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:34:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 65,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_to_B_and_C/pseuds/A_to_B_and_C
Summary: Baekhyun wanted simply to live his life peacefully.After that he had some past issues with justice, now he wanted simply to enjoy his life and his shop.But no, suddenly mafia was out of his door wanting his help for something.And Baekhyun wasn't so willing about that...
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Series: EXOVERSE [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658077
Comments: 13
Kudos: 21





	First Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Hi y'all!  
> Here you go another fic! As you probably realize yourself, it's mainly written under City Lights (especially UN Village) effects. I wrote this July last year in the same period City Lights came out so.... no justification at all. Sorry.  
> Once again only checked for typos and grammar but unbetaed.  
> Stay safe, healty, drink lot of water and stop by @/AtoBandC if you are up to it!

There was a time when Byun Baekhyun was a renowned falsifier.

The best ever and with such a wide knowledge on everything that his work was appreciated everywhere, especially on the darkest and most illegal sides of Seoul.

For some years now, though, Baekhyun decided to go legal again, opening up a jewelry and watch shop in which he was artisan and appraiser.

Not that Baekhyun actually changed his smug attitude and his fashionable choice of clothes from before, earning himself a weird reputation in his sector.

However, it was commonly known that shady past always comes knock to the door when one least expects it.

Baekhyun was focusing on the clockwork of a small portable clock, humming shortly together with the radio, when the door slammed open and his assistant, Kim Jondae, entered _accompanied_ by two tall men, one of them pointing a gun to his head.

One, the tallest between the two, had black pulled back hair, nice built, a cool smirk and was the one holding the gun.

The other instead was blonde and had a less explosive charm, even though he was still fascinating in his own way.

Baekhyun simply glanced toward them before looking again inside the lens.

“We are closed now. Release my assistant and come back tomorrow” he stated coldly, making the taller of them chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“You heard him, Hunnie? _We are closed now_ , he said” the same guy commented, making the other chuckle again, and Baekhyun sighed shortly, removing his magnifying lenses and shaking shortly his hair away from his face.

“Dae, go home and close the front door. Sirs want to speak with me a bit” he stated, head nodding toward the exit of the shop and Jondae nodded shortly.

Jondae was tall more or less as Baekhyun himself but his hair was light brown compared to Baekhyun’s silver one.

“Let him go home. You don’t want blood on whatever you are looking here” Baekhyun added toward the tall man that removed the gun from Jondae’s head, smug smile playing on his lips.

“Ya better not call the police, squirrel” _Hunnie_ said toward Jondae and Baekhyun nodded shortly toward him.

“There’s no need, no. See you tomorrow, Dae” he added, his tone quiet and reassuring, and Jondae frowned shortly, but nodded again.

Jondae was used to face dangerous situations since it was a while he started working with Baekhyun and he knew when to simply accept Baekhyun’s words or when it was better to act differently.

Baekhyun sat up, leaning on the glass cases behind him, fingers going to play with the rings on his fingers.

Strangely enough for being a jeweler, he had quite few jewels himself.

Several rings, two necklaces and a small golden piercing on top of his ear.

“So… what can I help you with?” he asked them and the taller of them, shrugged his shoulders.

“Boss want you to come with us for a _small work_ ” he explained, putting away his gun, turning around to see all the other glass cases around in Baekhyun’s studio where there were all the works he was working on, being it watches or jewels.

“ _Boss_?” he echoed back, frowning, fingers reaching for his pocket and extracting a small packet of mint cigarettes, lightening one up, and dragging it, waiting for a reply.

“You don’t need to know about it” _Hunnie_ replied but Baekhyun chuckled shortly, dragging another breath from the cigarette.

“You came to my shop proposing me a _small work_ for a _boss_ you don’t want to talk about it?” he asked and when the taller nodded shortly, Baekhyun extracted a gun from behind his back, cigarette between his lips, pointing at the taller of the two.

“Out. Now” he stated and when both the taller and _Hunnie_ took out their guns too, Baekhyun chuckled again, picking up the cigarette with his left hand instead of the right one.

“I don’t think your _boss_ would be glad if you kill me here, no?” he asked them, seeing _Hunnie_ hesitate shortly, while the taller man’s stare hardened only.

“Tell your boss to come here personally if they are interested in making affairs with me” he added again, gesturing toward the door and they both hesitated for a second before exiting the studio and the shop without a word more.

Baekhyun finished his cigarette in a drag more, putting again his gun away, sitting down to his desk and starting again his work on the clock.

Nothing could scare him anymore.

Not after all the nights he spent fleeing from the police, from people who wanted him dead for his imitations and for not respecting unsaid rules with one mafia gang or another.

Not after being tortured about the contents of his hidden safe with one of the biggest emeralds in the world, nor almost being killed for stealing a beautiful blue diamond that he made disappear into thin air, at least according to his saying.

And certainly not after spending almost a whole year in jail with _not-so-friendly-inmates_.

He took up his magnifying lens once again, restarting his work, even if he was a bit perplexed.

It was years since last time a _boss_ from some mafia gangs came to him asking him something.

Baekhyun was out of games since so long that he thought that finally he could live his life in peace.

Apparently, though, he was mistaking.

It took more or less two weeks before tall man and _Hunnie_ could be back, this time with a refined man in a black suit slightly shorter than them.

Clearly _the boss_ even judging from his clothes and manners.

They entered politely while Baekhyun was tending the shop during Jondae’s lunch break and even before they entered Baekhyun knew they were up to no good.

He typed a short message to Jondae: _don’t come back as long as I text you again_.

“How can I help you?” Baekhyun asked them when they entered and the shorter of them smiled politely at him.

“I am Myeon, boss of EXO” he stated shortly, smile not faltering before he introduced him also the two who were with him.

“And they are my right and left arms, Yeol and Hun” he added gesturing first toward the taller of them and then to _Hunnie_.

Baekhyun arched shortly his eyebrow, interested.

EXO wasn’t exactly a mafia gang born _yesterday_ so it had stable roots, loyal statements and a great number of success even in _operations_ others failed.

Between all the mafia gangs in town, it was surely the most well structured and organized and almost the most _legal_ , if so could be told about a mafia gang.

“And what EXO does want from me?” Baekhyun asked him, picking up one of his cigarettes from the counter and lighting it up, smoking but stare not leaving Myeon.

“I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse” Myeon stated making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head before dragging longer on the cigarette.

“It’s never a good thing quoting _the Godfather_ when you’re not speaking about movies” Baekhyun retorted, before taking out again his gun and leaning it down in front of him on the counter.

“I don’t like violence, Byun. I’m a businessman. Blood is a big expense” Myeon added again, making Baekhyun chuckle again, pressing the butt of his cigarette in the ashtray behind him.

“Stop with the quotes and tell me what you want from me. We are both wasting time right now” Baekhyun stated and this time in his voice there wasn’t any irony, nor fun.

“You are still dealing with gems, right?” Myeon asked him and Baekhyun hummed briefly in thought.

“Not as I did previously. What do you want to know?” he retorted, fingers turning around the rings on his fingers even if his mind was already providing him a lot of interesting theories about what Myeon could want from him.

“I… put my hand on an interesting piece of sparkling thing. I would like your opinion on it” he stated briefly gesturing toward Hun that neared the counter with a small briefcase, opening it and revealing a reasonably big sapphire.

Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity, especially seeing the size of the _sparkling thing_.

“May I see it?” Baekhyun asked him, stare not leaving the gemstone, clearly interested and Myeon nodded shortly, gesturing toward the small briefcase.

Baekhyun wore a pair of silicone gloves he took from a box on the counter and picked it up observing it.

He hummed immediately while turning it around in his fingers.

“It’s artificial” he stated briefly, making gesture to put it down but Myeon shook his head, hinting him to look at it better.

Baekhyun raised his eyebrow in annoyance, knowing that he _never_ mistook a judgment, picking up his magnifying lens and lightening up the small light on the counter, putting the sapphire under it.

The cut was too clear and clearly it wasn’t sparkling as a real one, impurities clearly showing beneath the surface.

And surely it wasn’t hard as a real sapphire, even though Baekhyun wasn’t willing to test it out.

After all, it was a nice _piece of sparkling thing_ despite it being artificial.

“It’s a false. Or well, not a real false. An artificial sapphire created in some laboratories. And seeing the cuts probably… Poland? They are renowned to be artisans of artificial sapphires and emeralds” he stated, removing his lens and putting down the gem in the briefcase, removing his gloves.

Myeon was displeased by the news but not as surprised as Baekhyun would expect.

“You knew it already, right?” Baekhyun asked him and Myeon shrugged his shoulders, making Baekhyun frown.

“Now that you tested me, will you tell me the real reason why you are here or…?” he inquired briefly, fingers carding through his hair, pulling them behind, falling back messily.

“You… I want you to deal with an asshole good for nothing that it’s trying to fuck with me and giving me shit” he stated, terms more colorful than the kind ones from before.

Not that Baekhyun actually disliked it, not being a pure heart himself.

“An asshole who wants to fuck with you? Someone I know, maybe?” he retorted, chuckling, figuring already a long list of people who could try to deal with false gems.

“He’s a Chinese man…” Myeon started to say and Baekhyun snorted briefly, shaking his head.

“Ah, is it Xing, right?” he asked him immediately and, judging from the frown on Myeon’s face, Baekhyun got it right.

Zhang Yixing was a sly man dealing in everything illegal, including drugs, weapons, electronics and… gems.

Baekhyun had something to do with him few years before when he tried for the nth time to sell him an emerald _that was pretty as baby B’s eyes_ , as per Xing’s words, that was as false as a three hundred won coin.

And if that wasn’t annoying enough, Xing wasn’t good only with words, but he was even better with his flirting charm, trying for a solid two years to get Baekhyun for him even for few hours.

Not that Baekhyun ever went with it, not mixing work with sex as per his own work policy, but neither he was particularly attracted to the Chinese man.

“Old acquaintances don’t make me eager to get this _work_ you are proposing me, Myeon of EXO. Give me a good reason or go out of my shop now” Baekhyun stated, clicking his tongue annoyed.

“Your _old acquaintance_ has also a nice set of gems in his private collection that I’m not so keen on having. They could be yours…” Myeon started saying, taking a photo from his inner pocket in the jacket and sliding it toward Baekhyun who picked it up, interested.

It was a pic of Xing at an important reunion of gems collectors with a briefcase full of small and middle-sized gems.

Baekhyun recognized even some of the persons around him, and he was sure that they would realize if those gems were false.

So Xing had a _real_ collection too.

And there was a really, really interesting garnet in that briefcase.

One that Baekhyun would almost die to put his fingers on, transforming it on something even prettier, sparkling even more brilliantly.

“And what are we exactly talking about?” Baekhyun asked him humming softly, pushing again the picture toward Myeon who made it disappear again in the jacket.

“Xing will hold a party, next week, in his villa outside Seoul. I want you to go there and retrieve something that Xing stole from me. And in the meantime, you can take away also _those_ ” he stated shrugging his shoulders and Baekhyun hummed shortly, fingers going to pinch his lips, clearly interested.

That garnet was calling him more than he cared to admit.

And even if it was a while since last time he stole something from someone, he was still one of the best.

“I need more info, tho” he stated briefly, still considering the whole proposal, and Myeon opened in a beautiful smile, sliding toward him a small business card.

“Why don’t you come tomorrow and meet me at our home? I will be glad to discuss all the details with you” he stated, smile not leaving his lips and Baekhyun picked up the card, letting out a small appreciation whistle.

“Gangnam. Such a central location for a mafia gang” he stated shortly, stare moving from the card to Myeon who simply smiled softly at him.

“Only from the very core you can see everything at three-hundreds-sixty degrees” he commented, hinting a small bow.

“Will see you there tomorrow?” Myeon asked him and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Before six am or after six pm. Shop is still my most important concern” he replied softly gesturing toward the door at his left that went to his studio.

“After six pm will be fine. I don’t think you would find someone awake before six am” he concluded chuckling but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“Early birds catch the worms” Baekhyun concluded, shooing them away with his hand and Myeon smiled briefly again before going away, followed by Yeol and Hun.

Baekhyun sighed shortly once they were out, fingers again carding through his hair, biting his lips.

He typed a short message to Jondae telling him that he could come back and then inhaled shortly, stare shifting toward the door to his studio.

Time to bring out some of his old tools.

The following day, after shop closure and without alarming Jondae for nothing much, Baekhyun drove until the address Myeon gave him.

He parked in front of a glass building, all windows and sparkling in the summer sunset.

Baekhyun pulled his sunglasses on his head, whistling at the sight before walking toward the building.

Inside it was luxurious, all marbles surfaces and warm wood furnishing.

A tall woman welcomed him, smiling, even if he felt her staring longer at him, probably because Baekhyun, despite being almost in his thirties, he still dressed everyday as he was about to go to a party in that very same moment, leather trousers or tight jeans making the best part of his collection of clothes, especially if paired up with nice shirts or sweaters.

Baekhyun still had a nice sense of fashion despite having left _the scenes_ since few years.

“You are Mr. Byun, right?” she asked him kindly and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Boss is waiting for you on the third floor. Do you want me to…?” she started saying but, in that moment, Yeol entered the from the main door too, visibly upset.

“Where’s boss?” he asked toward the woman who frowned shortly.

“On the third floor but he’s waiting for Mr. Byun” she started saying and Yeol’s stare moved on Baekhyun, widening up, all his previous _upsetting_ soothing down immediately.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, leaning his head on the side.

“I can feel you stripping me with your eyes, _Mr. Yeol_ ” he stated softly, smirk playfully opening on his lips and Yeol chuckled too, shaking his head.

“You wish, Byun” he stated shortly making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head too, starting to walk toward the elevator followed by Yeol.

“I…” the woman said but Yeol pushed a finger on his lips.

“I don’t think _Mr. Byun_ would mind if I escort him up instead of you, pretty girl” he added and the woman’s stare got wider before her cheeks took fire, making Yeol chuckle softly.

“You like talking smoothly to innocent ladies?” Baekhyun asked him, smirk not leaving his lips but Yeol shook his head, smiling.

“Also young boys like you, if you are interested” he commented immediately, making Baekhyun’s eyes going wider in surprise before he could chuckle, shaking his head softly almost imperceptibly.

“Ah, _baby boy_ thinks he is so smooth and flirty, especially with elder people only judging by, what, height? _Cute_ ” Baekhyun stated, smirk not leaving his lips.

Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity and even before he could reply, Baekhyun neared him briefly, fingers gently going to play with the collar of Yeol’s shirt.

“Never judge a book from its cover, _baby boy_. You could end up burning yourself” he whispered, fingers softly moving to his neck, feeling Yeol’s warm skin under them.

And when the lift pinged, doors opening, Baekhyun moved away, fingers leaving Yeol’s neck, ready to exit the elevator, but when he turned around, Yeol took his hand, pushing him toward the wall of the elevator, leaning down, so near that Baekhyun could feel his breath on his own lips.

“You shouldn’t do it either, _Mr. Byun_. You could have quite a surprise too” he breathed before smiling briefly at him and, damn if Baekhyun was attracted to him.

Yeol was quite pleasant to stare at.

He wasn’t simply tall, his black hair had a really nice undercut, even if it was slightly longer on the upper part, almost enough to tie a ponytail or a bun.

His eyes were dark and deep, as his voice, and he surely had a nice built too.

Dangerously sexy was one of the many descriptions that passed through Baekhyun’s head.

But Chanyeol only smirked and stood again farther from Baekhyun walking out of the lift and showing him the way to Myeon’s office.

They entered together, Yeol without even _considering_ knocking on the door, making Baekhyun frown in perplexity.

It seemed like Myeon was a way more flexible boss than previewed.

“Need to talk to you” Yeol stated out of the blue and Myeon nodded shortly.

“May I finish this thing with Mr. Byun before? You can stay if he doesn’t mind” he replied immediately and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t think you have secrets with your own… employees” he observed shrugging his shoulders and Myeon snorted shortly at the definition, while Yeol clicked his tongue, shaking his head, clearly not agreeing with Baekhyun’s definition.

There was a small silence and then Myeon spoke up.

“I imagine you need some…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, interrupting him.

“Blueprints of the house. And the model of the safe in which things are supposedly held” he stated briefly and Myeon frowned perplexed but gave him what he required.

Baekhyun took the blueprints and started studying them with interest.

It was on the second floor of a house so big to be disarming.

Probably though, due to the party going on, probably it would be easier to move around.

“Do you have information on the party?” he asked him shortly, not moving his stare up from the papers, thumb playing with the rings on his fingers, pensively.

“Apparently a big party with a DJ set that will be held both on the inside and outside of the house” Myeon commented and Baekhyun hummed shortly, fingers gently caressing the paper in front of him, trying to mentally reproduce how the house was made in order to understand how it was better to move around.

“What do you want me to retrieve from this safe?” Baekhyun asked him and Myeon hummed shortly before sliding toward him a pic of a… flash drive.

“A USB flash drive?” Baekhyun asked perplexed, stare finally meeting again Myeon’s, making him nod shortly, decisively.

Things were getting slightly foggier than before.

What in the world was in that USB drive?

And why Myeon needed it that much?

Even if that garnet…

“Will I go alone or will I have a small backup from your… associates?” he asked Myeon, stare glancing toward Yeol to see if he liked better that definition compared to _employee_.

Yeol didn’t comment but didn’t click his tongue either so… maybe it wasn’t that bad.

“He will come with you. He’s still one of the best for undercover missions and to play around in these situations” he explained, earning another click of tongue from Yeol.

“Myeon, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk about with you…” he started saying and Myeon frowned shortly, perplexed.

“You are not up to it?” he asked him, trying to understand why Yeol didn’t want to go.

“Can’t you send _Hunnie_?” Yeol retorted immediately, avoiding the question, not replying it in the slightest.

Myeon though, shook his head briefly.

“Xing met Hun. He would recognize him” he replied and Yeol hummed, pressing his lips in a thin line.

“Why you don’t want to go?” Myeon asked him again and Yeol’s stare moved shortly on Baekhyun before returning almost immediately on Myeon.

And it was pretty understandable what that stare meant.

“I can take care of myself properly, _big boy_ , no need to worry” Baekhyun assured him slightly showing up his gun, still hoisted behind his back.

“Surely Xing will check that we are not carrying weapon” Yeol retorted and Baekhyun snort shortly, shaking his head.

“Ah, I see. Still judging from the cover?” he asked him, sitting up, putting the blueprints on Myeon’s desk.

Yeol looked at him studying him but Baekhyun nodded toward him, clearly challenging him.

“Even a shorty can fend for himself” he commented and Yeol sat up too, fighting stance kicking in immediately.

And in the limited space of Myeon’s office, Baekhyun had his first sparring fight with Yeol.

He was strong, clearly more trained than Baekhyun, and knew how and where to hit.

But Baekhyun had from his part the experience of years of street fighting and jail.

After a more powerful than expected hit, Yeol pushed again Baekhyun toward a wall, almost hitting Myeon’s door.

They were again near as before in the elevator, stares meeting and breaths coming shorter due to the fighting.

“Am I up to your expectations, _Mr. Yeol_?” Baekhyun breathed even if the impulse of touching him, pulling him even nearer just to bite his neck, sucking there a hickey was _oh so strong_.

Yeol let out a soft chuckle, nodding.

“More than I could expect. Are you… martially trained?” he asked shortly and when Baekhyun shook his head Yeol frowned shortly perplexed.

“No? I would have said _hapkido_ or something along the lines…” he commented, stare studying Baekhyun’s clearly interested.

Baekhyun, though, shook his head shortly.

“You are still judging me from what you see” he whispered softly, slightly biting his lips and he clearly saw Yeol’s stare moving to his lips, interested in it.

His stare, instead of shifting away, stayed there making Baekhyun smile softly, tongue gently wetting his lips, stare not leaving Yeol’s and seeing him wavering.

Myeon was still in the room with them and reclaimed their attentions with a short cough.

“Are you satisfied of Mr. Byun’s abilities?” Myeon asked toward Yeol who nodded shortly, distancing himself from Baekhyun, stare still not leaving his lips until the very last second.

It was real, that tension between them, and Yeol was clearly feeling it as much as Baekhyun was doing it.

However, Yeol was part of his work and Baekhyun’s golden rule still stated _not work-related sex_.

Neither if it was with someone as stunning as Yeol.

“Okay then, next Sunday we go to Xing’s house, pretend to enjoy the party and while we are at it, we gently take away also the flash drive and some of his gems” Baekhyun stated, patting on his leather trousers, fixing his shirt, and Myeon nodded shortly, pleased that it was all clear.

“Perfect. Where do we met?” he asked toward Yeol who smirked at him.

“Pick you up at six thirty, _Mr. Byun_?” he retorted and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, rolling the blueprints up fixing them with a paper clip he produced out of nothing.

Or better _out of his trousers that even if it didn’t seem, they had bottomless pockets._

“Sure. And no need of using the surname, _Yeol_. We have a nice evening waiting for us on Sunday” he concluded before shortly bowing toward Myeon and going away.

Sunday arrived uneventfully, work going on smoothly at the shop and at ten past six, Baekhyun greeted Jondae, closing the shop.

Baekhyun’s house was three minutes walking from the shop and was a small studio apartment on the third floor of an old building.

He dressed up, black jeans and a pearl-grey satin shirt, styling his hair and putting on some make-up too.

He didn’t lose too much time in preparing though, dedicating most of his time to prepare his tools and hiding them properly.

As per previous agreement, at six thirty he was waiting for Yeol outside his own shop, smoking in silence, fidgeting with his phone.

“Nice shirt” Yeol’s voice stated, making Baekhyun open in a smug smirk, pocketing his phone, cigarette resting in his lips.

When he raised his stare on Yeol, he was the classic image of a college dream.

Knees-ripped dark jeans, Hawaiian short-sleeved shirt slightly opened on his chest and dark hair tied in a small ponytail.

“Please, repeat me again how old are you” Baekhyun commented chuckling, shaking his head at the sight, making Yeol chuckle too.

“Twenty-seven last time I checked. And don’t you like the fresh look? Preferred something classier? More formal?” he asked him, smug smirk always playing on his lips and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head.

“For heavens’ sake, let’s go. You are way too young” he stated, walking away, pressing the cigarette in his portable ashtray, making Yeol chuckle again.

“Want me to call you _hyung_?” he asked, walking near him and Baekhyun snorted, fingers reaching for another cigarette, lighting it up.

“Only if you have some kind of daddy kink. Otherwise by name is fine. What’s your real name, by the way? I don’t think _Yeol_ is a solid option” he commented, dragging longer on the cigarette.

Yeol chuckled near him, shortly gesturing him toward a car that Baekhyun almost never saw for real, if not because once he had one himself.

“Oh, is this yours?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol smiled widely at him, nodding.

“Bought with my second paycheck, all the parts are original like in the 1970” he replied proudly and Baekhyun’s fingers gently caressed the hood of the yellow Plymouth Duster 340.

“I had one too” Baekhyun whispered, still missing his old car and internally cringing at the end that it met, a lot of years before when someone burned it up just to send Baekhyun a warning.

He never had the heart to buy another one, so he simply bought a city car without too much pretensions.

“What happened to it?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun sighed shortly, shaking his head.

“Nothing much. Let’s go, _big boy_ ” he hastily replied, pressing again the cigarette in his ashtray and turning around on the passenger side of the car.

And when Yeol unlocked it, Baekhyun sat inside, repeating the same question from before.

“Leaving aside the _hyung_ kink, which is your real name? You can tell me or…?” he started saying and Yeol sat near him, inserting the key in the ignition lock and turning, engine starting and producing such a nostalgic sound that Baekhyun was almost moved by it.

“Chanyeol. Even if for _business policy_ I can’t tell you my surname” he replied shortly, driving off the parking and driving slowly in the streets.

“Oh… _Chanyeol_ ” Baekhyun repeated softly, small smile opening on his lips, totally liking and finding it suitable for him.

Yeol’s cheeks slightly dusted of red before he could shake his head.

“I prefer Yeol, though. We don’t need to be friends in this, no?” he added immediately and Baekhyun nodded briefly, stare moving out of the window.

“Myeon said that you are the best” Yeol stated driving them toward Yixing’s villa outside Seoul.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“It’s a while since my last work, actually…” he replied shrugging his shoulders, but making Yeol chuckle too.

“He wouldn’t have chosen you if you weren’t still the best” he objected immediately, making Baekhyun click his tongue shortly.

“Or maybe just because I’m the only falsifier with a discreet lockpicking ability” he commented, even though he asked himself too why of all the people Myeon choose him over others, but Yeol shook his head, smiling.

“I don’t think that opening a safe is considered a _discreet lockpicking ability_ ” he retorted, shrugging his shoulders, stare moving shortly toward Baekhyun and meeting his stare, interested, already on Yeol’s face.

“ _Cute_. But you don’t need to tell me that I’m good at doing my work. I know it” he concluded chuckling softly making Yeol shook his head, bringing again his stare on the street.

“You should stop calling me _cute_ ” Yeol stated and Baekhyun shook his head, stare moving out of the window.

“Sorry if I offended your ego, _big boy_. I’ll do my best not to” he added immediately making Yeol snort, shaking his head too.

“Heavens bless we are almost there” he concluded and Baekhyun chuckled softly too, leaning better on the seat and gently tapping at the bottom of his packet of cigarette and picking up his lighter, when Chanyeol stopped him.

“Not in my car” he whispered and Baekhyun nodded shortly, putting away the lighter but still placing the cigarette between his lips, closing his eyes, resting his head against the headrest.

There was a small silence and then Yeol parked near a big white villa, turning the engine off.

Baekhyun exited, immediately lighting up his cigarette and earning a scolding stare from Yeol.

“It’s not good smoking this much” he stated, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, mouthing a short _cute_ that made Yeol huff, shaking his head and walking toward the gate where some guards where standing, controlling who entered.

They showed their invitations, kindly provided by Myeon, and the security guards searched them just to be sure that they hadn’t weapons.

Both passed the test easily, finally entering the villa.

“If possible I wouldn’t like to meet Xing” Baekhyun stated looking around, mentally reproducing the blue prints Myeon gave him, and Yeol chuckled shortly near him, patting his shoulder.

“I won’t leave you for a sec, if this can help you” Yeol added briefly but Baekhyun snorted, lighting another cigarette with the end of the previous one.

“Sure, because I won’t be able to face him without you. I’m surely a damsel in distress” Baekhyun commented, dragging longer on his cigarette.

“Do you have at least your tools with you?” Yeol asked him making Baekhyun snort again, shaking his head.

“I know I promised not to offend your ego again, but you’re so _cute_. I don’t know with who you are used to work, but I ain’t a novice” he concluded before finishing his cigarette and stomping it in his portable ashtray.

And Yeol was about to retort, when Baekhyun pressed a finger on the other’s lips.

“Don’t drink too much, _big boy_. It will end sooner than you expect” he concluded pushing the door open and entering a big hall crowded with people, dancing and partying to a loud dance music.

It was very classy, actually, people wearing dresses and nicer clothes compared to a common college party, but the atmosphere was the same.

“Want something to drink?” a waiter asked him, showing a tray with a lot of colorful shots.

Baekhyun picked up a blue one, downing it before giving it back to the waiter who smiled gently at him.

It tasted like blueberry and Curaçao.

Baekhyun licked his lips softly, eyeing the stairs going on the first floor.

Maybe it was a little too early to simple act directly for the reason he went there.

He slowly danced around, sizing the house, looking for the spots where guards gathered, wondering about the possible exits and so on.

And after three more shots and two glasses of beer, after more people filled the house, Baekhyun decided that it was the right moment.

He didn’t see Yeol around but neither looked for him.

Baekhyun could do his work alone and a presence like Yeol could be more a distraction than other things.

As per blueprints, he found easily the studio room and found also the safe.

He took out the ashtray from his back pocket, opening the rear part of it, extracting a small lockpick and small silver cup that he used to _listen_ to the safe.

That ashtray was his own invention since he created it, especially made it to host not only his cigarettes ashes, but also two hidden rooms for his tools and for other small secrets.

Baekhyun was actually proud of that small jewel of creation, being finest art and not only useful.

He neared the safe, inserting the lockpick, taking down the entrance of the key, and started to turn the knob, listening to it.

And he didn’t get any trouble getting the first two clicks, but then he heard a sound coming from outside the room and the door almost opening.

He swiftly moved under the desk, biting his lips and staying silent trying to understand if someone entered the room or not.

“Baekhyun?” Yeol’s voice whispered and Baekhyun inhaled shortly exiting from behind the desk.

“What the fuck, Yeol?” he asked him perplexed and nearing again the safe, restarting his work on that.

“You are already…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun made a gesture with his hand, telling him to shut up.

“Just look at the door for me, will you? I’m… almost done” he commented, focusing again on the safe and making it click again.

It was always so exciting yet so satisfying when he managed to open a safe, especially the old models like that one.

And at the last click, Baekhyun bit his lips, making his tools disappear again in the back part of his ashtray.

“Oh, here we are” he stated, fingers gently moving some papers inside the safe, clearly searching for the gems and the USB drive.

The pen drive was in a small steel box while he found the garnet and another few gems, topaz mainly, in a small velvety bag.

“Gotcha” he whispered picking the items up and closing gently again the door of the safe, just in time to hear another sound coming from outside.

And he never acted that quickly, gently pushing Yeol toward the desk, placing his lips on his, kissing him slowly, sliding the flash drive in Yeol’s back pocket.

Yeol’s hands went to his sides, immediately, gripping on them, kissing him back slowly, tongue testing Baekhyun’s bottom lip.

In that very same moment, the door opened, someone entering and gasping at the sight, immediately excusing themselves.

Baekhyun’s stare moved toward the entrance, a cute couple of young boys, holding hands, clearly looking for some privacy.

“All the other rooms are occupied…” one of the boys justified himself and Baekhyun smirked at him.

“We are finished here, if you want, we were going out” he replied and the boy beamed at him, making Baekhyun nod toward Chanyeol who moved with him out of the room, closing the door behind himself.

“Do you…?” Yeol asked him shortly and Baekhyun nodded almost imperceptibly.

“Leggo” he whispered, checking the hallway and he was almost going toward the stairs, when he glimpsed Xing coming up from them, making Baekhyun sigh again, before he could move his stare on Yeol once again.

“Don’t hate me too much, _baby boy_ ” he whispered before pulling him down from the collar of his shirt and softly kissed him again.

This time Yeol’s cologne reached him better, distance being even closer than before, Yeol’s hands, gripping again on his sides, pulling him even nearer, biting his bottom lip, humming in the kiss.

Baekhyun’s hand moved on Yeol’s nape, caressing his short hair there, wishing he didn’t have tied it up in that ponytail.

He felt Yeol’s fingers drawing circles on his sides, massaging them, pulling him even closer to him, licking his way in the kiss.

Baekhyun had to admit it.

Kissing Yeol was… sexy.

His cologne, the softness of his lips, his broad shoulders and strong arms.

One of Baekhyun’s hand instinctively end up in Yeol’s back pocket, slightly squeezing his ass, making Yeol hum even deeper in the kiss.

Baekhyun bit Yeol’s lips, softly detaching from the kiss, footsteps clearly passing them.

“It’s a now or never situation” Baekhyun whispered, stare moving from Yeol’s lips to his eyes, but Yeol’s stare remained on Baekhyun’s lips.

“Yeol?” he muttered and Yeol shook his head distancing himself from Baekhyun starting to walk down the stairs, followed by Baekhyun and in few minutes they were out of the villa again, near the parking place and near Yeol’s Plymouth Duster.

“Wait” Baekhyun stopped him when Yeol was about to sit inside the car.

Baekhyun neared him and he was again in his personal space, making Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity or maybe… anticipation?

But Baekhyun simply insert his hand on Yeol’s back pocket picking up the USB flash drive, showing it to him.

“My work for tonight” he chuckled, before going again on the passenger seat and hinting Yeol inside the car.

Yeol sat inside turning the engine on and turning around to maneuver out of the parking lot, smile softly appearing on his lips.

“Who wondered that it would be that easy?” he asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, tapping on his cigarette packet, extracting a cigarette.

“I won’t light it up, no worries” he stated, simply enjoying the taste of it between his lips.

“You deserve it, actually. You made a quick and impressive work” he retorted and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“This baby is too… important for you, _big boy_ , to stink it out with my mint cigarettes” he whispered softly, smile not leaving his lips, fingers playing with the small flash drive in his hands.

Yeol smiled shortly at him too before driving up to what Myeon and Yeol too defined as EXO’s house.

“I will drive you home later…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“You are getting even cuter than before, Yeol. You should stop it if you want me not to tell you that you are cute” he stated, exiting the car and lighting up his cigarette, smoking in silence, without entering the house.

Yeol clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“You are really the worst, Byun Baekhyun” he stated, but there was a short smile on his lips.

“And we can enter… Myeon smoke like a chimney too” he stated, slightly pushing him inside the building, leaning his arm on his shoulders, making him feel even shorter compared to him.

“Aren’t you taking too many confidences?” Baekhyun asked him shortly, glancing at him but Yeol simply shrugged his shoulders guiding him toward Myeon’s studio, finding him still there, smoking like Yeol previewed.

“You are back” he stated seeing them entering his studio, Yeol’s arm still leaning on Baekhyun’s shoulders who was smoking slowly.

“Baek is the best” Yeol let out happily and Myeon smiled at him, nodding.

“Told ya. No one as him” Myeon replied, stomping his cigar in the glass ashtray on his desk before sitting up and reaching them.

Baekhyun took the small flash drive from his pocket and threw it to Myeon who caught it flying.

“I’ve already taken what I wanted so we are fine” Baekhyun added, smiling softly and Myeon chuckled shortly.

“You found something that suited your tastes?” he asked him interested and Baekhyun hummed briefly.

“Hopefully…” he concluded, tapping on his pockets and smiling toward him.

“Now that our… agreement is done, I hope I won’t see you again any time soon” he concluded, fingers carding through his hair and softly waiving at them.

“Mr. Byun, wait” Myeon started saying but Baekhyun shook his head.

“It was a one-time-thing, sir. I don’t think you understand. It was nice and all, but I’m out of these works for a while now. And I don’t plan to restart anytime soon?” he retorted shortly, thumbs playing with the rings on his fingers.

“We would like to…” Myeon started but Baekhyun smiled shortly, shaking his head.

“You are… interesting, Mr. Myeon of EXO. However, I don’t think you will find another job so appealing as this. And tonight, I angered a former acquaintance and he will know that it was me. Because… I’m the only one able to do this kind of work” he started saying, picking up another cigarette from his packet and lighting it up.

“I don’t like the idea of antagonize another one of them. I had already a troubled life in the past, now I simply want to run my shop and live a quiet life” he concluded dragging longer on his cigarette, fingers carding through his hair.

“It was a pleasure, sirs” he stated walking away and exiting the building, slowly walking home.

The night was hot and humid, but slightly windy and Baekhyun didn’t mind walking home even if it took him more than half an hour.

He was satisfied with his work that night, but that was enough.

There was a reason why he didn’t do _that_ anymore.

He stopped at the shop, closing all the doors behind him, sitting down in his studio, taking out his magnifying lens and studying the gems he took from Xing’s safe.

The garnet was so real and so sparkling in Baekhyun’s fingers that he couldn’t hide a smile.

“Beautiful” he whispered and for a moment it remembered him of Yeol’s lips, so red and plump after Baekhyun’s second kiss.

Garnet strangely fitted Yeol.

Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

Not that he would ever meet him again, so better shake him off his mind as soon as possible.

It took five months before Baekhyun could hear again about EXO.

He was sitting in his studio, welding some pieces of a clockwork together, when the door opened and Jondae entered worried, frown clearly showing on his forehead.

“There’s… those men from before. I… Do I have to send them away?” he asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly too, sighing deeply, shaking his head.

“Coming. Offer them a tea if they want it…” he replied, removing his magnifying lens and sitting up, taking off also his gloves.

Jondae was about to exit when Baekhyun smiled softly.

“And can you go buy me a packet of cigarette, later?” he asked him and Jondae smiled at him nodding, giving a thumb up.

“You should quit, one day” he commented but there wasn’t any reprimand in his voice.

Baekhyun sighed, fingers carding through his hair, biting shortly his lips.

He didn’t like the idea of having EXO again in his shop, wanting something again from him.

In the shop, exiting his studio, cleaning his hands on his ripped jeans and on a small rag, he met Yeol and Myeon’s look.

“I thought I was clear last time” he stated, shortly gesturing Jondae to exit the shop and leaving them talking alone.

“I’ll come back with the cigarettes. Mint is fine?” he asked him softly and Baekhyun smiled at him, nodding.

“Thanks, Dae. I owe you” he replied softly, nodding toward him and shortly waiving at him.

Once Jondae was out, Baekhyun’s stare was icily on them.

“Xing came here after our _jointed work_ and messed up with my shop. He was looking for his own things. Heavens bless that I’m still good at hiding valuable things” he whispered before pulling up his shirt sleeve, revealing a long scar that still sparkled lucid in the lights of the shop.

“I don’t need more of these” Baekhyun added before rolling it down again, opening one of the drawers of the counter, taking out a packet of cigarette.

He lighted one up, dragging slowly, stare again meeting the other two.

“I’m sorry about that, Mr. Byun. However, if you would have listened to us, we could provide you…” he started saying but Baekhyun was already shaking his head.

“Don’t give me this shit. I don’t plan on collaborating with you again, go away” he concluded and, in that moment, Jondae entered back in the shop, stare worried.

“Baek?” he asked him and Baekhyun gestured him to near him, behind the counter.

“Nothing serious, sirs were going away” he whispered but Yeol neared the counter, making Baekhyun extract the gun from behind his back and pointing it at him.

“Not a step more. Out of my shop, now” he stated, voice not wavering, eyes not leaving Yeol’s deep ones.

“Let Myeon speak. It’s important” Yeol whispered shortly and Baekhyun sighed deeply, pulling away his gun, and gesturing Jondae to sit down on the small stool near him behind the counter.

“Talk” he stated, twirling his rings on his fingers, stare moving to Myeon’s stare that slid a picture toward him.

Baekhyun took it up and looked at it.

It was a shot of a fine lady wearing one of Baekhyun’s creation.

Baekhyun could recognize every of his jewels because they were unique and one of a kind, every single one of them.

Except commissions, the most boring part of his work, but that was another thing.

“What about…?” he started saying but Myeon gave him another pic, same lady, this time dead.

Baekhyun frowned shortly, shaking his head.

“What are you trying to say?” he asked him and Myeon sighed shortly, shaking his head too.

“You are in danger, Mr. Byun. Someone is collecting your jewels even earning them from dead bodies” he stated and Baekhyun frowned shortly, shaking his head.

“They want my jewels, not me. I…” he started saying but Yeol clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“You don’t realize it, uh?” Yeol asked him, but Baekhyun shook his head, annoyed by their presence and the fact that someone was trying to collect his creations.

“They are following you and trying to kill you” Yeol continued but Baekhyun snorted shaking his head again.

“What in the hell are you saying? Why someone should want me dead?” he asked him and while nor Myeon nor Yeol had a reply, Jondae spoke up.

“That… diamond, Baek” he whispered and Baekhyun clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed before lighting up another cigarette, shaking his head.

“It was so many years now, Dae. It can’t be…” he started saying but Myeon and Yeol frowned shortly, interested in Jondae’s reasons.

“Come on, apart your regular counterfeits and some great thefts, you didn’t do anything else that could justify… _murders_ ” Jondae added and Baekhyun sighed deeply, dragging longer on his cigarette.

“And they hope to find it in one of my jewels? Fools” he whispered, shaking his head shortly, making Jondae frown shortly.

“You never told me what happened to that diamond” he stated and Baekhyun let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head.

“Because I wanted to protect you. It’s better if you won’t ever know about it…” he commented immediately but Myeon spoke up, interrupting him.

“Still, it’s not better if you…?” he started saying but Baekhyun chuckled again, puffing out some minty smoke.

“Ah, sure. You want that too, right? Since nobody ever managed to get their hands on it, now you want it?” he asked them, making Yeol growl lowly.

“Your talent is far greater than your intelligence, Byun” he hissed, slamming his hands on the counter, but Baekhyun clicked again his tongue, stare not leaving Yeol’s.

“And I think you don’t understand either, Mr. Yeol. I won’t trust anybody with this secret. Nor now nor never. I… almost lost my life to protect that diamond and I won’t let it go easily” he stated coldly, squeezing his own fingers harder on his own hands.

Before nor Myeon nor Yeol could comment, Baekhyun shook his head.

“And now, exit my shop. You won’t have anything from me, nor my diamond nor anything else” he stated, exhausted, leaning on the glass case behind him, earning himself a worried stare from Jondae.

“Baek… they are trying to help you” he whispered and Myeon nodded shortly, but Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Nobody helps you for free, Dae” he retorted immediately and even before Myeon could counter that affirmation, Jondae shook his head.

“You did. With me” he muttered and on Baekhyun’s lips appeared a soft smile.

“You are… a precious friend” he breathed, remembering clearly how he saved Jondae’s life so many years before, when he had a gun pointed to his head, after trying to steal something from _the wrong person_.

And he hosted him for free for so many years in his small studio apartment, teaching him small things about jewels, gems and lockpicking and so on, arriving until hiring him when he decided to open his small shop.

Never asking him anything, not wanting money nor anything else.

Instead also giving him a real salary when he finally hired him at the shop.

“Then, if not for you, for your friend…” Myeon whispered and Baekhyun’s stare got harder again even if he understood that Jondae’s life could be in danger too.

“You… Will you promise me that nothing will happen to him?” Baekhyun whispered softly, finally looking again at Myeon who nodded shortly, briefly and Baekhyun sighed deeply nodding.

“What do you want me to do for you? I… won’t ever speak about that diamond. It’s… not here and won’t ever be. You won’t find it and I won’t ever tell you where it is” Baekhyun asked them, fingers carding through his hair, rings sparkling between them.

“Come live in EXO house. And… provide help in some tasks that could require your abilities. That’s it” he whispered and Baekhyun sighed deeply, knowing that he didn’t have any other choice but accept.

“I won’t close the store, though” he retorted immediately and Myeon’s stare clouded slightly before moving toward Yeol.

“Only if you let Yeol around” he declared and Baekhyun wanted to object that he was able to take care of himself properly but Jondae sat up near him, caressing his arm.

“ _Please_ , I would be more at ease too” he whispered and Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding.

“It seems that we will spend a lot of time together from now on, Yeol” he concluded shortly and Yeol nodded even if it was still worried about _things_ that Baekhyun couldn’t still process.

They closed the shop earlier and took few things from Baekhyun’s studio apartment before Myeon could drive them to EXO house in his lucid black BMW, totally a different feeling compared to Chanyeol’s yellow Plymouth Duster.

“EXO house is… a place where people of every extraction and social status can find refuge. Not forcefully being part to _not-so-legal matters_ as others do” he whispered softly, guiding them at the fourth floor of the building, showing them small apartment-like rooms where people lived.

“Who would have said that a mafia boss could be this kind and generous” Jondae commented but Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“I’ve already told you. Nothing comes for free, probably there’s something else he asks them” he declared and when both Yeol and Jondae tried to retort Baekhyun stopped in the middle of the corridor.

“Intelligence. Information. Names, numbers, code, phone numbers. You don’t have to do something illegal to be part of something illegal” he stated shrugging his shoulders and Myeon nodded shortly, agreeing with Baekhyun.

“That’s the truest statement I’ve ever heard, Mr. Byun” he whispered, earning a surprised stare from Yeol who probably didn’t know about it.

“Let’s drop the surname, Myeon. I think I’ll have a bit of time to spend here…” he exhaled even if he felt tired about everything.

Baekhyun liked his solitude, liked his life made only of sparkling things and difficult mechanisms, his small shop and his studio apartment.

However, once again for that diamond, he found himself in a pretty tight spot, sharing his place with other people he didn’t know anything about it and sharing his shop with Yeol not only with Jondae.

And he didn’t know if he was ready to have Yeol looking at his life with such a proximity.

“Fine, Baekhyun. Thanks for being here and being so understanding on what it’s happening” he stated and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, shaking his head.

“Not that I had other choices, for what I understood” he whispered following Myeon until two adjacent rooms, clearly one for Jondae and one for Baekhyun.

“Yeol will do the rest of the tour. I’m sorry but I have a meeting soon” Myeon stated and both Baekhyun and Jondae nodded shortly, remaining alone with Yeol.

“This is the best place on Earth and you will know it soon too” he started saying, smirk opening on his lips and starting a touristic tour of EXO house.

Actually, Baekhyun had to admit, there was so many things to do in that place that one couldn’t exit for weeks without even realize it.

Apart for survival facilities like kitchens, common bathrooms or separated ones, there were a lot of common area too with videogames, recreational areas and social rooms with computers and other facilities.

There were also two fitness rooms.

Baekhyun was perplexed in seeing all of that in a single building, but Yeol was so excited that Baekhyun almost felt annoyed by it.

And in a corridor, they met Hun, this time hair tinted orange.

“Ah, Yeol! Finally I met you” he stated and Yeol frowned shortly, shrugging his shoulders.

“Is there any problem?” he asked him, stare moving to a shorty behind him that Baekhyun didn’t know at all.

“Or Xiumin is with you too?” he added and Hun nodded shortly, nodding.

“He’s assigned to Mr. Kim’s protection” he explained and Baekhyun immediately frowned, nearing Jondae protectively.

“Who?” he asked shortly but Yeol smiled shortly at him, gesturing toward _Xiumin_.

“He’s another important part of EXO. One of the eldest _hyungs_ here, second only to Myeon” he explained and the shorty smiled beaming at them but Baekhyun’s fingers already gripped hard on Jondae’s wrist pulling him behind himself.

“I won’t put my best friend’s…” he started saying but Yeol shook his head.

“Xiumin is the best in protection task. That’s why Myeon asked him to” he added and Baekhyun sighed shortly, stare moving toward Jondae that smiled at him briefly.

“Everything will be fine, no? He’s the best” he reassured him, but Baekhyun scrunched his nose earning himself a soft pinch on his cheek from Jondae.

“Fine. See you tomorrow?” he asked him and Baekhyun sighed shortly, ruffling Jondae’s hair.

“Try to rest. Tomorrow take a day off” he concluded and when Jondae tried to retort something, Baekhyun stopped him immediately.

“Take. A. Day. Off” he repeated before walking away, back again to where his room was, followed immediately by Yeol.

“Will you follow me forever?” he asked him and Yeol chuckled shortly, nodding.

“It’s my task. Myeon wants me to and I will. Every day, everywhere” he replied making Baekhyun inhale deeply before stopping in front of his own room.

“ _Everywhere_?” he echoed and Yeol smirked smugly, leaning on the door almost _trapping_ Baekhyun between the door and Yeol’s body.

“Well, if you want to invite me in…” he started saying but Baekhyun huffed a laugh, shaking his head.

“I told ya, you are too young for me and too inexpert. It will be years before you could succeed in flirting with me” he stated, chuckling softly, fingers gently moving to fix Yeol’s shirt collar.

And when Baekhyun was almost retrieving his fingers from it, Yeol took them in his hand, gently squeezing it in his own.

“You are… playing with fire, Mr. Byun. And I don’t know how long I will manage to simply play around with you” Yeol whispered, leaning even more in and Baekhyun smirked shortly at him.

“Weren’t we supposed to drop the surname, _Yeol_? And maybe you are just… mistaking the situation and you are the one playing with fire, still judging me from what you are seeing?” he breathed, the other hand moving along his sides, reaching up again his neck, making Yeol repress a shiver.

“Now, let me go inside before both of us will end up doing something we both could regret tomorrow morning” he concluded, smile not leaving his lips and Yeol snorted shortly, standing again, letting Baekhyun freely enter the room behind him.

“Tomorrow five ten wake up. Out of here five fifty if you drive, five and half if we walk” he stated almost closing the door and Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity.

“Obviously that I drive you. Twenty minutes more can mean the world at that hour!” he retorted immediately and Baekhyun hid a small chuckle smiling.

“Yeah, yeah. As you say… See you tomorrow” he concluded and Yeol gestured a small greeting before letting Baekhyun enter the room and closing the door behind him.

As soon as Baekhyun was alone, he inhaled deeply, putting his hand in his bag looking for his keys and, when he found them, pulling out a small, small key that could open only the smallest of all the locks, and Baekhyun putted his ashtray on the desk, turning around and revealing the small lock.

He introduced the key, making it click, opening a secret compartment of it, revealing a silvery velvet small bag.

Baekhyun’s fingers pulled it out, opening it and revealing the biggest and most valuable blue diamond at the world, second only to the Hope diamond.

Baekhyun sighed shortly, feeling the cold surface against his fingers before immediately putting it away.

Nobody would ever know about it.

Ever.

And for how much his life could depend on it, nobody would ever have it.

As he said to Yeol the previous evening, at five and thirty they met randomly in the common kitchen of the fourth floor.

Baekhyun was stirring on his instant coffee while munching a cream bread, when Yeol showed up, startling him.

“You eat only that in the morning?” he asked him, without any other greeting, making him jolt.

“For fuck’s sake, Yeol. It’s five thirty in the morning, at least you could let your presence know” Baekhyun whispered, hand reaching his chest, trying to still his breath.

“Would I be a good member of a mafia gang if I would let my presence know so easily?” he asked him, smirking and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head.

“Still… you are not eating enough. Want some fried rice? I’ll make it up in five minutes” he stated, leaning down and picking up a frying pan and some ingredients from the fridge.

Baekhyun looked at him messing around in the kitchen, humming a song, lowly.

Yeol was… weird.

Cute from some verses, extremely sexy and attractive from others.

Baekhyun liked how those ripped jeans caressed his figure, making his long legs look longer and Baekhyun wouldn’t mind squeeze his ass again.

And he liked when instead of bizarre-motif decorated shirts, he wore hoodie like that morning, making him look even younger and softer, but still so damn attractive.

“I can feel you staring, Baekhyun… Isn’t it too early for having these thoughts?” Yeol asked him, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head, before making disappear the small bread, hands going to pick up a cigarette from his pocket and Yeol smirked at him, softly.

“You are good looking, hope you know that” Baekhyun stated shortly, lighting up the cigarette and dragging shortly, stare moving again on Yeol.

“I know, yeah. A lot tell me that” he replied shortly, smile not leaving his lips, making Baekhyun chuckle again, shaking his head and dragging longer on his cigarette.

“As long as you know” he concluded but it was clear that the discourse couldn’t end like that, Yeol being a tease on that.

Yeol turned off the induction hob and divided the salted rice in two dishes.

Once he was done with it, neared one toward Baekhyun, still holding it, though.

“What do I get for this?” Yeol asked, smirk appearing again on his lips, playfully and Baekhyun chuckled before pressing the cigarette on his small ashtray.

“Oh, so like… equal exchange?” Baekhyun asked him, biting his lips, stare moving on Yeol’s face, searching for approval.

Or to understand how far he could push it.

And Yeol nodded shortly letting Baekhyun near him, swiftly, hand easily reaching Yeol’s neck, caressing it softly, feeling the warmth beneath his fingers.

“How much for that?” he breathed, entering his personal space, making Yeol’s eyes move on Baekhyun’s and then quickly on his lips.

Baekhyun slightly bit his own lips, before passing his tongue on them, slowly, teasing.

“What I wonder…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun chuckled softly pressing his lips on Yeol’s cheek, literally stealing the dish from his hands and distancing him, leaning again on the counter.

“Maybe next time?” he proposed, smile not leaving his lips, moving to retrieve some chopsticks and eating up the rice up.

Yeol chuckled shortly, shaking his head, starting to eat up too.

“You are really the worst, Byun Baekhyun” he added shortly making Baekhyun smiled briefly.

“And you are _cute_ and so naïve, big boy. You know nothing about the life outside mafia gangs and how life can be different from what you are living under the _holy_ protection of EXO and Myeon” Baekhyun whispered, stare moving away, light shortly vanishing from his stare, playfulness disappearing quickly, and he didn’t feel as hungry as before.

He simply finished eating it because Yeol prepared it almost only for him.

Baekhyun could feel Yeol’s stare on him and pressed his lips in a thin line, forcing a small smile.

“Oh, come on, _big boy_. Don’t look so sad. Everyone has his own story, no?” he added immediately, smiling at him and moving to clean the dishes.

There was a moment of silence and then Yeol gently patted his shoulder.

“I’ll protect you, Baekhyun. Now and for as long as it will be necessary. I won’t let anybody hurt you” he stated shortly and even if Baekhyun was surprised for a second, then he shook his head.

“I know that Myeon wants that diamond as everybody else, no worries. No need to be so friendly with me. I don’t need this, and I don’t need you. I accepted only because I… care about Dae and I know that working with me can be a problem at the moment” he whispered gripping harder on the last dish he was washing before putting it away.

“No, you…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, snorting.

“Drive me to the shop, Yeol. It’s already late” he concluded walking out of the kitchen and moving outside the building, followed by Yeol.

The day followed uneventfully.

Baekhyun worked in silence, not so much customers coming in and he also had the time to fix some of their things, bills and other shits that usually he let at the end of the month.

Yeol was silent, watching Baekhyun working on whatever he was doing.

Around half an hour after midday, Yeol coughed shortly, attracting Baekhyun’s attention.

“Is not the case that… We go eat something since it’s already this late?” he asked him and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“You can go if you are hungry. I don’t eat lunch usually” he replied immediately, making Yeol frown shortly, shaking his head, humming but not commenting the thing.

There were few moments more of silence before Baekhyun could sit up, closing the counter drawers, locking the cashier.

“Let’s go, _big boy_. I don’t want you to pass out on me” he declared, picking up the keys of the shop and smiling shortly toward Yeol who inhaled briefly, nodding.

“With such a tall body, I need to eat frequently and a lot” he objected making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head smiling.

“Ah, not that I had doubts about it” he commented, snorting and closing the door after them.

“You… opened this shop recently?” Yeol asked him shortly, but Baekhyun shook his head briefly, glancing toward the shop, walking toward one of the street-stands near the shop that made noodles and barbeque.

The owner hollered toward Baekhyun seeing him entering and Baekhyun waived shortly at him.

“It’s a different friend compared to usual” the owner stated, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“Ah, no. I wouldn’t let him touch my gems neither in years” he replied immediately, making the old man cackle loudly.

“It took Jondae-ha years, I don’t think he has much more experience” he commented and Baekhyun shook his head again, taking out of his pocket his cigarettes and lighting one up.

“What can I bring you, sirs?” the owner asked them, smiling and Baekhyun nodded toward the jjajangmyeon the owner was already boiling and Yeol went with those too.

“Can I bring you also some side dishes?” he asked them and even before Yeol could reply, Baekhyun nodded shortly chuckling.

“We have a high-maintenance guy here. Bring in your best” Baekhyun stated, smiling toward Yeol who beamed at him, thanking both Baekhyun and the owner.

When the owner went away to prepare their dishes, Baekhyun smiled shortly toward Yeol.

“I opened my shop like… five years ago? After managing for the last time to escape and hide what I got in one of my last activities” he started saying, softly, lightening up another cigarette and smoking slowly, fingers carding through his hair.

He remained on the vague side because he wasn’t _oh so keen_ on sharing things on his past with Yeol.

“Only from five years, it seems way more…” Yeol started saying making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head.

“Are you telling me that I look old, boy?” he asked him, chuckling and Yeol immediately shook his head too, messing his hair up that fell back messily.

“No, I-I, no didn’t…” he tried to say immediately but Baekhyun chuckled shortly again, smiling at him.

“No worries. I am more than I look, so it’s fine” he retorted shortly, dragging longer on his cigarette, making Yeol frown.

“How… old are you?” he asked him, tentatively, and Baekhyun smiled shortly, stomping his cigarette in his ashtray and smirking shortly.

“Thirty-four, last May” he finally replied honestly and Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity.

“Oh, woah… I thought you had more or less my same age” he observed softly and Baekhyun shook his head.

“That’s why I told you that you are too young and too…” Baekhyun started saying expressing his thoughts about every time Yeol flirted with him.

However, Yeol stopped him with a short gesture of his hand.

“Age doesn’t matter, Baekhyun. It’s a matter of how handsome you look and, let me tell you, you are more than beautiful” he stated smirking toward Baekhyun, fingers easily reaching for his lips and caressing them softly.

Baekhyun parted his lips in surprise, not expecting at all Yeol’s gesture.

“Did I rend you speechless?” Yeol asked him, smirk getting wider on his lips, smugly playing but Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Just because you are saying nonsenses” he retorted immediately and internally thanked the owner of the shop that showed up with their noodles and the side dishes.

They started eating in silence, Baekhyun silently watching toward Yeol, wondering what Yeol really thought about all that story, Baekhyun being in the same moment both the best gem artisan and the best thief, about people wanting Baekhyun dead and cold.

Or if Myeon really ordered him to gather intelligence and information about the diamond Baekhyun hid for the past almost six years.

“You are wondering about my loyalty, right? If I’m really focused on this task or if this is only about me following boss’ orders” Yeol whispered shortly, making Baekhyun frown shortly before he could inhale briefly, shaking his head.

“I’m… worried about everything including Myeon surely wanting that diamond as everyone else. And you being always around don’t make things easier” he whispered letting out a bit of his thoughts, making Yeol chuckle, shaking his head.

“Do you want me to be more serious? Not to… take all the hints you are sending me?” Yeol whispered, gently biting his bottom lips, stare looking toward Baekhyun who inhaled shortly, chuckling and shaking his head.

“Not at all. At least, your company can be interesting like this. And actually, I think that you are sending quite a few too” Baekhyun commented smile not leaving his lips, finishing his noodles before lighting up another cigarette.

“That you are completely ignoring” Yeol retorted immediately, downing his noodles and what left of the side dishes.

Baekhyun exploded in a sound laughter.

“Ignoring? I think we are playing enough around it, no?” he asked him, smirk not leaving his lips while he was still smoking in silence.

Yeol chuckled too, shaking his head.

“This morning you left me hanging” he stated shortly, smirk opening up again on his lips and Baekhyun dragged longer on his cigarette, briefly closing his eyes in appreciation.

“Ah, _big boy_ , didn’t know you wanted a kiss so bad” he breathed shortly, sitting up and picking up his wallet paying the owner of the stand.

Yeol huffed briefly, shaking his head, following him out of the stand and again near the shop.

And before pulling out his keys to open the shop, Baekhyun turned shortly toward him.

“Thanks for cooking for me this morning” he breathed before gently pulling him down, fingers gently gripping on his collar, lips finally pressing on Yeol’s.

Yeol leant in, kissing him too, hands immediately reaching for his sides, gripping and pulling him nearer.

Baekhyun liked that sensation, way more than he could admit.

And even if he knew how _dangerous_ all that thing could be, he liked it way too much to care.

When Yeol pressed in again, instead of distancing himself, Baekhyun slid his tongue inside Chanyeol’s mouth, pressing in, fingers rashly carding through Yeol’s hair, pulling him nearer, feeling Yeol kissing him back.

And all that warmth and wetness were more pleasant than expected, making Baekhyun pressing his whole body against him, wanting that contact.

Even if Baekhyun was forced to detach from that kiss, realizing that they were still outside of his shop, out in the open air, in what could still be considered _public space_.

Yeol smirked shortly toward him, lips still wet and glistering in the bright light.

“I’ll cook for you every morning if this is the payment” he stated voice low and soft, making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head.

“You have to do something better than fried rice then” he concluded and Yeol chuckled briefly, nodding.

“Wait for it” he concluded, letting Baekhyun open again the shop and following him inside.

Yeol kept his promise, waking each morning slightly earlier than Baekhyun just to cook breakfast for him, a routine that Baekhyun kind of started to like.

Entering the kitchen knowing that Yeol each morning surprised him with something different.

And Baekhyun didn’t let Yeol down either.

As long as it was just flirting around, kissing him and rubbing each other, there was nothing bad, no?

Nothing serious, just playing around.

Or so Baekhyun liked to say to himself.

That afternoon he was sitting at the desk in his studio, magnifying lens on, cutting on some diamonds he received as commission when he received a notification on his phone, making him move his stare only shortly toward the screen of his phone.

Dae wrote:

Is something going on between you and “Yeol”?

Baekhyun frowned shortly, moving away his lens and picking up his phone, tapping on the notification on the screen.

The reply was very short: _no, why?_

And it kind of made him laugh that, despite being in the other room tending the shop, Jondae wrote him a message.

Well, not that he could simply sit up, entering Baekhyun’s studio and asking him since Yeol was still there.

In less than a minute, Jondae wrote back again.

Dae wrote:

I… saw you guys kissing in the kitchen this morning and, I don’t know, I shouldn’t be asking right?

Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head and attracting Yeol’s perplexed stare.

“Everything’s fine?” he asked him and Baekhyun smiled softly, nodding.

“No worries” he replied softly before moving again his stare on his phone, typing a reply.

_Nothing is happening, simply a bit of sexual tension and we are both into playing around for a while. Nothing serious, tho. Don’t worry_ – he wrote, immediately sending it to Jondae that replied with a lot of relieved emoticons, making Baekhyun smile softly, locking the phone and restarting again his work on the small diamonds.

“What are you doing?” Yeol asked him shortly, looking at the desk where Baekhyun was working.

“Cutting a diamond to put it on a golden ring” Baekhyun briefly replied, stare not moving from what he was doing and Yeol neared him observing Baekhyun’s fingers moving over the stone, tools ready at his hands.

Yeol stayed silent, looking at his work and Baekhyun didn’t mind too much Yeol’s presence.

He finished his work always in silence, admiring the result, fingers moving on a soft cloth, using it to clean the surface of the diamond and the ring, making it sparkle again.

“Oh, nice” Yeol commented shortly, peeking up from his shoulders and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, shaking his head, putting the small ring inside a velvety box, closing it up.

“You are… a genius” Yeol let out surprised but Baekhyun shook his head, shortly, lighting up a cigarette.

“I’m not. And this is nothing… I hate commissions because they are plain, dull, obvious. People marrying and pretending to want _something unique_ while they all look identical. But they allow me to live. It’s better when I simply can do as I please” he whispered, dragging longer on his cigarette and relaxing his back on the backrest of the chair.

Yeol’s hand gently reached Baekhyun’s shoulders, making his jolt at the touch.

“Relax, you are too stiff” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and let Yeol massaging his shoulders, softly, pressing gently on the right places, making Baekhyun groan lowly feeling half-way through pleasure and pain.

“Your jewels are different from the commissions?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding and dragging more on the cigarette before picking up a thick yellow clear file from the desk and opening it up for Yeol to see.

Inside there were picture and schemes of all the jewels and watches Baekhyun ever did since he opened the shop and all that he planned to do.

Yeol let out a marveled _oh_ looking at the pictures, leaning in to turn between them, entering even more Baekhyun’s space.

And when Baekhyun turned around to speak with him, he realized that he was nearer than expected and they were again at kiss-distance.

There was a small silence before Yeol, turning around, realized that way-too-short-distance too, smiling softly toward Baekhyun.

“Who would have known that you were this good also in this? How many more surprises are you still hiding, Baekhyun?” he asked him, smirk not leaving his lips, and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, shaking his head.

“You could be surprised by the amount of things you still don’t know about me” he muttered and Yeol nodded briefly, leaning in and placing a quick kiss on Baekhyun’s lips.

“And you don’t know how much I’d pay to know more about you” he whispered between their lips, stare fixed in Baekhyun’s.

However, Baekhyun’s stare slightly hardened, pressing his lips in a thin line, shaking his head.

“There are things that are better hidden” he stated, gripping on his packet of cigarette and, even before he could decide to go away, distancing from Yeol, a notification popped up on his phone, making Baekhyun frown deeply.

It wasn’t a normal notification.

It was from his security system on the backdoor.

He sat up abruptly before walking out of the studio, meeting Jondae in the shop, together with Xiumin.

“Go home for today. I’ll take care of the shop for the last few hours” he stated, making Jondae frown shortly, together with Xiumin.

“Baek, you sure you are…?” he started asking him but Baekhyun nodded, gesturing with his hand out of the shop.

“See you tomorrow. Relax at home, cook something good for tonight” he added tersely, not having that much time to explain much about it and Jondae sighed shortly, waiving shortly at him.

“See you later, Baek. Don’t be too late” he concluded, nodding and going away, leaving Baekhyun and Yeol alone.

There was a small silence and then Baekhyun moved to lock the shop from the inside, literally locking them up inside.

Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity, looking at Baekhyun.

“Did I…?” he started saying but Baekhyun pressed a finger on his lips.

“We are not alone” he whispered, picking up the gun from behind his back and loading it.

And he never saw Yeol got this serious in no more than a fraction of an instant, pulling out his gun too.

“Where?” he asked him and Baekhyun sighed shortly pressing his cigarette in his small ashtray before slowly moving at the back of the studio, silently moving away a heavy curtain that revealed a door.

Yeol was about to speak up again but Baekhyun pressed his fingers on his lips, gesturing him to be silent.

He opened it immediately exiting on the backstreet, pointing his gun toward a definitely-not-Korean man who gasped surprised by the sudden opening.

“Don’t move” Baekhyun whispered and when the guy tried to escape, Yeol ran after him, pushing him toward the wall, pressing down harder, immobilizing him against the wall, pointing his gun at the guy’s head.

Baekhyun neared them, eyebrow lifting up in interest.

Looking better at him, maybe he wasn’t an unknow face.

“You are… Boris, right?” Baekhyun whispered and the guy, frowned shortly, clearly perplexed that Baekhyun recognized him.

“Did your boss sent you to give me some message or were you looking for something inside my shop?” he asked his, nearing him even more and the man let out a low chuckle.

“You became friend with the wrong people, forgetting your debt with Igor” he stated in reply, Korean barely understandable, making Baekhyun frown shortly.

“I don’t have any debt with him. He just paid his own freedom with some… interesting gemstones” Baekhyun stated but Boris chuckled shortly, shaking his head.

“That’s why now you are under EXO protection? Are you getting older and scared?” he continued asking him, making Baekhyun let out a short laugh, leaning down, pressing his fingers on the guy’s cheeks squeezing them hard.

“Tell Igor that if he came again to my shop or sent again one of you here, I won’t be so patient. Next time you will go home cold” he whispered before gesturing Yeol to let Boris go.

Yeol frowned shortly, clearly understanding less than half of what they talked about, but obeyed Baekhyun’s words.

Boris distanced from the wall and without turning back he ran on the back alley, leaving Baekhyun standing there with Yeol.

Baekhyun put away his gun immediately, walking back toward the door, clicking his tongue, clearly annoyed by what happened.

He had something to do with Russian mafia few years before and he knew that it never was a good thing when they got you visit home.

What the hell did Igor want from him?

Baekhyun worked with them and for them for some time but when they stopped collaborating, Baekhyun was _more than clear_ in stating his wants not to have anything more to do with them.

So, after all those years, what was happening?

Was it only because Baekhyun forcefully accepted EXO’s protection?

Or because they knew something about those murders related to Baekhyun’s jewels?

He was walking inside when Yeol took his wrist, slightly pulling it, stopping him.

“What was that?” he asked him and Baekhyun huffed shortly, shaking his head.

“Nothing. Old acquaintances are not always welcomed” he whispered in reply, making Yeol frown, lips already parting, words forming on them, but they were interrupted by Yeol’s phone ringing.

Yeol picked it up, looking at the screen frowning.

He swiped his thumb on the screen, bringing it to his ear.

“Boss?” he whispered and on the other side of the phone Myeon whispered something and Yeol frowned shortly, nodding before cutting off the call.

“Let’s go. Myeon wants to see you” he stated and Baekhyun sighed briefly, nodding.

They went back in the shop where Baekhyun picked up the small velvety box with the diamond ring, before closing again the back door, inserting again the alarm.

“Can we… drop this by the commissioner before meeting your boss?” Baekhyun asked Yeol, making him nod even if his stare was fixed on Baekhyun, worried and interested in what just happened in that back alley.

Baekhyun ignored it, unlocking the front door, and gesturing him outside.

And once Yeol was out, Baekhyun closed the door again, pulling down the shutter and inserting again the alarm.

“Where to?” Yeol asked him, nearing his car and Baekhyun followed him on the passenger seat.

“You won’t let me drive, right?” he retorted back, frowning, earning himself a worried stare from Yeol.

“Let you drive…?” he started saying, frowning and when Baekhyun was almost opening up the passenger seat door, Yeol smiled at him briefly, throwing him the keys.

Baekhyun picked them up, surprised.

“It will be only until Hannam-dong” Baekhyun stated and Yeol frowned shortly, nodding and exchanging places with Baekhyun.

“I just let you know that usually I don’t let _anyone_ drive my car” Yeol stated sitting down, clearly frowning at the idea of being on the passenger seat of his own car.

Baekhyun instead chuckled softly, shaking his head briefly.

“Oh, so I should feel honored?” he asked him, sitting down and shorty adjusting the rear-view mirror.

“More than honored” Yeol commented making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head, inserting the key inside the ignition lock and turning the engine on.

He loved the sound, the sensation and missed it _oh so much_.

“I will repay you somehow” he whispered, not managing a better retort, all his attentions focused on the car.

His fingers gently moved on the gearshift, biting his lips and gearing on, driving off the parking place.

Baekhyun’s drive-style was slightly sportier than Yeol’s, a bit faster and not as classy as Yeol’s.

Baekhyun slightly bit his lips, gearing up and turning the steering wheel, taking the road at his right.

“You are… enjoying yourself?” Yeol asked him, earning a low chuckle from Baekhyun.

“Almost better than sex” he replied honesty sipping in his tone, thumbs caressing the gearshift, driving a bit faster than before, taking the highway.

Yeol huffed near him, shaking his head softly, clearly not agreeing with him.

“Maybe because you hadn’t good sex up until now” he retorted immediately, making Baekhyun snort, briefly glancing toward him.

“Ah, don’t act too mature, _big boy_. I had my fair share of experiences and stopped bottoming when I tired myself of selfish partners who forgot that it’s really a matter of choices being the receiving or the giving end. However, even on the other side it’s not… interesting enough. Always the same things, people only caring about their own pleasure without building some synchronicity, some chemistry even in a one-night stand” he explained shortly, shrugging his shoulders and fixing again the mirror, before patting his own trousers looking for his packet of cigarettes.

He pulled out one and put it between his lips without lighting it up.

Yeol, though, picked up something from the glove box and moving toward Baekhyun.

It was a lighter and Baekhyun accept him lightening up the cigarette for him, thanking with a small gesture, fingers going to the cigarette and taking it between his fingers, dragging longer before exhaling smoke out of the rolled down window.

“Still, you didn’t have all the experiences in the world, so maybe…” Yeol added immediately, making Baekhyun puff out some smoke with his laugh.

“Yeah, sure. Are you suggesting something?” he asked him, glancing again toward him, before dragging longer again on his cigarette, taking the right exit toward Hannam-dong.

“Maybe?” Yeol muttered softly, smirk opening on his lips and Baekhyun chuckled again, shaking his head.

“Ah no, _big boy_. I’ve already told you. You are too young and too… _cute_ for this. I don’t want to taint you” he stated shortly, smiling briefly and, even before Yeol could retort whatever, Baekhyun interrupted him with a short gesture of his hand.

“You only ever topped in your life, Yeol. Don’t make me tell things that you don’t want to hear” he stated making Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity, but shutting up, thinking deeply on Baekhyun’s sentence.

Baekhyun drove in silence until the place where he had to go and then stopped the car, exiting and pressing his cigarette in his portable ashtray.

“You can stay here if you want. It will be quick” he stated going toward the entrance of a tall glass building.

He pressed the bell and waited, even if Yeol reached him immediately.

Baekhyun gave him the keys and Yeol locked the door, before nearing him again.

A soft woman voice came on and Baekhyun told him that he was the jeweler and the woman open up immediately.

They entered and went up until the second floor where a woman was already waiting for them together with the commissioner of that work: the owner of Choi Dance School, one of the most famous dance institutions in Seoul and nearby cities.

“Ah, Mr. Byun, welcome” he stated inviting him in but Baekhyun shortly shook his head, gesturing toward Yeol.

“I’m actually just passing by. I’ve finished what you asked me” he stated picking up the small velvet box from his pocket and giving it to the man who nodded shortly, taking it and opening it, showing the ring to the woman near him who beamed at the sight.

“It’s wonderful, dear! So beautiful and original!” she stated and Baekhyun wanted to comment about it being _identical_ to a whole other set he did always for commissions, but he bit his lips shutting himself up.

“Perfect, exactly as I wanted it” Mr. Choi stated making Baekhyun smile shortly at him, nodding.

“With last payment we settled everything, so we are fine like this. If there is any problem or you need it slightly bigger or smaller, don’t hesitate to contact me again” Baekhyun concluded picking up another of his business card and giving it to Mr. Choi who took it, thanking him again.

Baekhyun shortly bowed toward them before going down again and exiting in the street followed by Yeol.

And Baekhyun was about to move on the passenger seat once again when Yeol clicked his tongue, attracting Baekhyun’s attention before throwing him again the keys.

“I don’t want to fix the mirrors now” it was his excuse, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“You could say it that you like me driving your car” he commented immediately making Yeol snort, huffing shortly.

“Don’t make me change idea” he retorted and Baekhyun chuckled again, sitting in and driving until EXO’s house.

Once in the parking lot, Baekhyun gave back the key to Yeol, just in time to see Hun coming in their direction.

“Oh, you let Mr. Byun drive here?” Hun asked him perplexed and Baekhyun chuckled, smirk easily appearing on his lips.

“It seems like I drive it better than him” he retorted lighting himself a cigarette, making Yeol snort shortly, shaking his head.

“You wish” he replied immediately, making Baekhyun snort and going up in the elevator with both Yeol and Hun.

Once in Myeon’s office, Baekhyun knew it already that he was about to give them another work.

He could see it from the pile of papers on his desk or maybe from the serious frown on his forehead or… simply hunch.

“Where to this time?” he asked him and Myeon chuckled briefly, sliding the whole pile of papers toward him.

“Nam Enterprises. In Mr. Nam’s office there’s a safe with some… interesting things. Mostly for me but I think that you have to see those too” he stated and Baekhyun neared Myeon’s desk, fingers moving to the papers and already at the second page he was frowning.

He recognized that emerald.

It was… the third biggest in the world.

And it shouldn’t be in Nam’s hands but in a museum in California.

At least the last time Baekhyun saw it, it was there.

And he was _really_ tempted to steal it, but he went there for a different reason and he couldn’t risk getting caught for stealing a big-ass emerald.

Especially not one not as big as the one he had in his safe at the shop.

Baekhyun turned the pages and the thing started to get even more perplexing.

There were rubies and sapphires, all owned by privates or museums and that shouldn’t be in Nam’s safe.

Baekhyun took his phone immediately, dialing another old acquaintance’s number, waiting on the line.

Philip Brown was the director of that museum in California and Baekhyun did a work for him, once, so they remained more or less in contact.

“Hey, Phil? How are you?” he asked him when the other replied, his old English not working properly as once.

“Oh, Baek! It was a while now. What got you calling me?” he retorted immediately and Baekhyun flipped back the pages until he got again to the emerald.

“Were there any… robbery at your museum recently?” he asked him as nonchalantly as possible and Philip hummed shortly from the other side of the line.

“Don’t even get me started. We had several few months ago. If I didn’t know that you got clean in these years I would have called you asking if it was your work” he started saying making Baekhyun press his lips in a thin line.

“That emerald, right? What else?” he asked him again, and the other sighed shortly.

“Two rubies and a sapphire. Not to talk about some gold statuettes” he replied honestly and Baekhyun hummed shortly, moving again through the pages but no other items were matching with Philip’s description.

“They could be ended up in the Asian market. I’ll let you know more if I found out something about them” Baekhyun concluded and after few more words, he hung up, sighing shortly, shaking his head.

Nam wasn’t the hand behind all those missing articles.

He just bought what he liked from someone else.

“You don’t need these?” Baekhyun asked toward Myeon, gesturing the pages regarding the stones and Myeon shook his head.

“Consider it your payment for letting me have what I need” he replied and Baekhyun frowned deeply, fingers carding through his hair shortly.

“That is…?” Baekhyun retorted briefly and Myeon smiled at him showing him another clear file that Baekhyun took, opening it.

Inside there were pictures of papers and a small checks book.

“Sometimes I really wonder what you are doing here in EXO…” Baekhyun started saying, stare moving toward Myeon who smiled at him briefly.

“I told you. Blood is too expensive and there’s a lot of other ways to convince people do what you want” he replied shortly, making Baekhyun nod shortly, fingers reaching for his cigarettes and placing one between his lips without lighting it up.

“Which model is the safe?” he asked toward Myeon that showed him another pic and Baekhyun frowned shortly, hands reaching for his ashtray and turning it around, opening the rear side, checking the tools he had with him.

“Ah, I have to stop by the shop…” he breathed checking better the type of safe but still not sure he could do a proper work with what he had.

All the eyes were on him, he could feel them, trick surely impressing Myeon as well as Hun and Yeol.

“You are full of resources, Baekhyun” Yeol commented and Baekhyun snort shortly, shaking his head, making the ashtray disappear on his pockets.

“Never worked with me before I got clean. Then you could say I was, now I’m living of small expedients” he replied shortly, forcing a small smile.

And even before Yeol could comment again, Baekhyun nodded toward Myeon.

“When?” he asked him and Myeon hummed shortly.

“Tonight, if you manage” he replied briefly and Baekhyun nodded briefly even though he was perplexed by the urgency.

Usually Myeon gave them several days, at least two, for their tasks.

“I can go also alone, if you need him for something else” Baekhyun stated gesturing toward Yeol but Myeon shook his head.

“Your life is still in danger for how much it concerns me. Where you go, Yeol follows” he stated making Baekhyun nod shortly.

“We go out tonight, then” he concluded smirking toward Yeol who chuckled softly shaking his head.

“You heard boss, no? Where you go, I follow” he concluded making Baekhyun smile, nodding and going out from the office, reaching the fourth floor and his room.

“Give me five minutes to change. I need something comfier if I have to fit more tools in” he stated and Yeol nodded shortly, smirk appearing again on his lips.

“Don’t you want me to…” he started saying but Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Behave. We have a work to do” he stopped him immediately but Yeol chuckled briefly too.

“Does this mean that _later_ …?” he asked Baekhyun who snorted, shaking his head again.

“You are impossible, really” he concluded, opening the door but stopping there, hand on the handle.

“And no, it’s not a no… Let’s see how the work goes?” he added voice not more than a whisper, smiling shortly toward Yeol whose eyes became wider in perplexity before he could nod, going to his own room.

Baekhyun sighed again closing the door behind his back and opening his luggage, rustling between his clothes finding something suitable to wear.

He went with ash gray baggy trousers with a lot of pockets, a white t-shirt and a white jacket, just because it wasn’t true that real thief should wear black clothes.

When he exited his room, fingers carding through his hair, messing it up, Yeol was already out too.

And Baekhyun couldn’t do anything but stare.

He was wearing a black leather jacket and black ripped jeans, keeping his hair down instead of up with his usual small ponytail.

“Black on black?” Baekhyun commented, fingers tapping on his packet of cigarettes, just not to move them on Yeol’s neck or in his hair.

“Same goes to you. Thief are not supposed to wear like darker clothes and…?” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun shook his head, showing off the amazing number of pockets those trousers had.

“Let’s go, _big boy_ ” he concluded when Yeol simply raised his eyebrow, unimpressed by Baekhyun’s excitement for his clothing.

They went in the parking and Yeol sat on the driver seat, adjusting the mirrors before looking toward Baekhyun.

“So your shop and then Nam Enterprises?” he asked him and Baekhyun hummed briefly, nodding.

“I think… it would be wiser to go with my car, though” he commented, stare moving outside the window and considering things, making Yeol frown shortly.

“I love this car and so you do” Baekhyun started saying, fingers gently caressing the profile of the window.

“However, I get the idea that if we go with this one and something, _whatever_ , goes wrong, it will be easier to find two individuals on a yellow Duster 340 than on a stupid black Audi” he added immediately and Yeol hummed briefly and even if he didn’t like the idea, he nodded shortly.

Yeol drove them until Baekhyun’s shop and there Baekhyun showed him where to park and where Baekhyun’s car was.

Baekhyun went to the shop, picking up some more tools that he could need to open up the safe, and then went back to where Yeol was waiting him.

“Can I drive or…?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol smiled at him briefly, shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s your car, show me how you drive with it” he replied shortly, moving toward the passenger seat and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, sitting on the driver side, pulling the safety belt and rolling down the window.

He pressed the _start &stop_ button and the engine turned on, silently.

“Totally different compared to my car” Yeol let out interested, especially on all the lights that turned on the dashboard and the touchscreen between them.

“It’s just a new model. Nothing much, even though I like it better than other that I tried…” Baekhyun whispered, taking the rear-gear and exiting the parking place.

He drove his Audi even faster than Yeol’s Plymouth Duster, probably due to the major safety that that kind of car had compared to Yeol’s older one.

Baekhyun lightened up another cigarette, letting it rest between his lips before his fingers could tap on the touchscreen, putting on some music.

“Preferences?” he asked toward Yeol who shook shortly his head.

“I’m usually more comfortable with R&B or rap, but I don’t mind anything” he added in reply, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shuffling between the stations.

“I would have said you liked better hip-hop or maybe… dance?” Baekhyun tried shortly but Yeol shook his head, scrunching his nose, making Baekhyun smile briefly, smoking in silence.

He drove them until Nam Enterprise and parked not far from the entrance but in a back alley.

“Then, seeing the planning that Myeon gave us…” Baekhyun started, gently pressing on the ceiling where the lights were, turning them on and showing Yeol the blueprints he received from Myeon.

“There should be a back door around here. Less surveillance, hopefully. Studio with the safe instead are on the higher floor. I wouldn’t use elevators, though” he explained and Yeol nodded near him, focused, joking attitude clearly disappeared also from his features.

“With stairs though we risk that someone could hear us going up or coming down…” Yeol commented and Baekhyun pinched his lips between his fingers, thinking.

“Still best idea compared being trapped in the elevator. I don’t know if they can control them directly from the inside, but it’s not so impossible after all” Baekhyun added, convincing Yeol to take the stairs.

“For everything else, I’ve got your back. I know it’s difficult because this situation is weird and so on, but trust me. I won’t let you down” Yeol stated, shifting his stare on Baekhyun’s and he was serious.

No joking, no flirting, no nothing.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply shaking his head and turning off the ceiling lights.

“I don’t have any other choice. It’s only me and you inside there and I’m not the same I was ten years ago” he concluded exiting the car and moving toward the wall, skirting it until he found the back entrance, followed by Yeol.

It was locked but Baekhyun kneeled down, picking up a small flashlight and pointed it on the lock, considering what was better to open it.

He took the flashlight between his teeth, while his fingers worked on the lock, gently, making it open up in few seconds.

Baekhyun immediately turned off the flashlight again, making it disappear in his pockets together with his tools, before picking up again his gun.

“At my three?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded shortly, slightly rising his gun up.

Yeol opened the door, gun ready but inside there wasn’t anybody.

Baekhyun sighed briefly before starting to move according to the blueprints he saw before.

“Are you sure this is…?” Yeol asked him, but following Baekhyun who nodded briefly, easily finding the emergency stairs up.

They started to go up, trying to be as quiet as possible, deafening silence surrounding them.

When they reached the highest floor, Baekhyun opened slightly the door to the floor, allowing Yeol to check if in the corridor there was someone, but it was empty also there.

They exited and moved toward Mr. Nam’s office, even though Baekhyun had a really bad feeling about that.

Too silent, too calm, no guards, no alarms.

And when he slightly opened Mr. Nam’s office door, he had his reply.

There was already someone trying to open the same safe that Baekhyun wanted.

“Turn slowly and with your hands up” Baekhyun whispered, raising his gun and the man stopped immediately his actions, turning around, revealing, once again Boris.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked toward Baekhyun when he recognized him and Baekhyun really wanted to ask him the same.

What was he doing there?

How did he know about Mr. Nam and his safe?

“Baekhyun, we don’t have many choices. We can’t let him go. We have to kill him…” Yeol breathed near him and Baekhyun knew it.

He knew it, though…

There was something strange.

How did Russian know about that too?

It was Myeon’s mistake?

Or whoever gave Myeon the information, gave it also to the Russian?

“Boss said that nobody else knew about the contract” Boris stated and Baekhyun frowned shortly nearing him.

“Contract?” he echoed interested and the other shut up immediately.

“Boris, really for your own sake, speak up. Yeol is not much patient, you know?” he asked him, head gesturing toward Yeol behind him and Yeol neared them too, shaking his head.

“At all. I’m already out of it…” Yeol stated, smirk appearing on his lips, shortly.

“Boss said that we could retrieve our contract here, the one that bind our family to Nam Enterprise. They weren’t exactly loyal with us and we needed that contract to prove it…” he started saying and Baekhyun hummed shortly, shooing him away with his hand, kneeling down in front of the safe.

“So… you are saying that Igor sent you here, to pick up this contract that links you to Nam Enterprise?” Baekhyun asked him, hiding his gun back where it was and picking up his tools to open the safe.

He started fidgeting with it, but when Boris didn’t reply, Baekhyun’s stare moved toward him.

“Then?” he stated and Boris nodded briefly.

“Yeah, it’s like this. And boss wanted me to pick up some other papers too, but I don’t know much about them. And I’m not as proficient as you are with safes…” he replied briefly and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, shaking his head, focusing again on the safe.

So, the real reason why they met was because Igor wanted Baekhyun to do that work for him, but since Baekhyun refused him, he sent Boris even if not as talented.

“Baekhyun?” Yeol called him shortly and Baekhyun inhaled, shaking his head.

“As you please. But remember that blood is indeed bothersome” he concluded, starting again his work and hearing Yeol _gently helping_ Boris up.

“Come with me for few sec, will ya?” Yeol stated hands gripping harder on Boris’s shoulder.

And even before they could make few steps, or that Boris could speak up, asking to Yeol to spare his life, a loud crack was heard, followed by a low thud.

“What… do you want me to do with this?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed in thought, focusing harder on the safe and why he wasn’t managing to open it.

“We can’t leave him here…” Baekhyun started saying when finally the safe gave in and Baekhyun heard the classic click of old models with key.

“Almost an eargasm. Let me see what you are hiding” he whispered softly and his fingers opened the door, picking up a lot of papers and clear files.

Beneath them, there were also several small boxes and a gun case.

And money… a lot of money.

Baekhyun, though, picked up only all the papers, the check books and the small boxes leaving there all the rest.

“We can leave him here…” he started saying, sitting up and hiding the boxes inside his pockets and folding the clear files in half, putting them inside his jacket together with the check books.

“It will seem like a robbery ended up bad. And… Probably Nam will ask himself it the Russian are really as trustworthy as he thinks, without actually calling the police for this robbery. And the Russian will decide to avenge Boris, somehow” he explained, stare moving toward Yeol who nodded shortly, moving Boris’s body near the safe.

“Our work is done here. Leggo” Baekhyun whispered slightly pushing him out of the office and then moving swiftly down the stairs.

They didn’t meet anybody but just because, maybe, Boris killed them coming up from another way, since he was better in killing people than opening safes.

And once again in the car, Baekhyun pressed the lights on the ceiling again, lighting up the cabin, picking up the clear files, opening them.

Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding, understanding even better what Myeon meant when he said that with intelligence one could instill more fear than with blood.

There were contracts and insurance policy that wasn’t exactly legal and were worth thousand-millions won.

“Ah, he really knows how to do his work” Baekhyun whispered before giving the papers to Yeol and turning off the lights on the ceiling, turning on the engine.

“Myeon is… the best in this” Yeol stated and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“I had no doubt” he concluded and there was a small silence before Yeol sighed shortly, attracting his stare, perplexed.

“You are… relatively calm seeing that I killed a man almost in front of you” Yeol whispered briefly and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair.

“Isn’t this what you guys do? Myeon told me that you and Hun are experts in this more than protecting people” Baekhyun observed softly and Yeol hummed, nodding.

“And I killed people before too. There are moments when it’s needed and tonight was one of those moments” Baekhyun continued, shrugging his shoulders before lighting himself a cigarette up.

There was another small silence and then Yeol spoke up again.

“You are… a strange person, Baekhyun. With all the money that there was in that safe, you picked up only the things for which we came and… stones” Yeol observed shortly and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“They are not stones…” he started saying picking one up from his pockets and giving it to Yeol that opened the small box revealing a small ruby.

“How pretty” Yeol let out softly, making Baekhyun smile widely.

“Do you like rubies? Or you prefer other gems?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol hummed briefly in thought.

“Rubies are… the best. Like fire, passion and a lot of other things” he explained, turning the gems in his fingers and making Baekhyun smile softly, picking up another box containing a small garnet, smaller than the one he found in Yixing’s safe.

Yeol’s eyes went even wider in perplexity, sparkling brightly at the pretty red reflections of the garnet in Baekhyun’s hand.

“That’s garnet, actually. It is redder instead of pinker. And it is symbol of passion and eternity” Baekhyun explained briefly, parking in the underground parking of EXO house.

Yeol put the ruby and the garnet away, even if his stare lingered longer on the garnet, and gave it back to Baekhyun who store them away again in his pocket.

And Baekhyun was about to exit the car when Yeol stopped him, fingers easily taking his wrist.

“Who knows what a beautiful garnet could become in your hands” Yeol whispered taking his fingers in his hands, caressing them and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity.

“I…” Baekhyun started saying even if the words got stuck on his lips, especially when Yeol took his fingers and brought them on his lips, gently kissing them.

“I’m sure you would make a perfect jewel, something stunning and beautiful as you are” Yeol continued softly, lips not leaving Baekhyun’s fingers.

Baekhyun shivered shortly, feeling that contact even more than usual, plush and warm sensation again his fingers.

“You are exaggerating now, Yeol. And I’ve already told you. You are too young and…” he started saying but Yeol leant in, kissing him softly on his lips, cutting him off.

“Let’s go up to give boss these papers and then let’s stay up all night. Drive me somewhere, bring me in one of your secret places…” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun knew he should have refused him, telling him to stop joking around, that flirting was a thing, but crossing the line meant a whole totally different thing.

Instead…

He nodded shortly, briefly, almost imperceptibly, before picking up the papers for Myeon and finally exiting the car.

And he was perplexed by… _everything_ happened in that small moment, but he simply went with it, tired about thinking too much about it and simply wanting to live whatever was happening as it was.

Yeol was moving contrasting feelings inside himself, but for once in his life, Baekhyun wanted to simply let things happen, probably already tired of the whole situation.

Myeon was waiting for them and when Baekhyun gave him the clear files, Myeon asked him if they found something else in the safe and Baekhyun emptied his pockets, showing all the small boxes he took from the safe.

“Oh, you found something interesting” Myeon commented pleased by the number of boxes that Baekhyun deposited on his desk and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Yeah, luckily. So you don’t have to pay me at all” Baekhyun chuckled softly putting them again in his pockets and Myeon nodded shortly.

“If that’s fine for you, for me it’s fine” Myeon concluded and when Baekhyun simply nodded shortly, since he didn’t need money from Myeon, that was sufficient as a payment, Yeol spoke up behind him briefly.

“I had to kill a man over there” he stated out of the blue and Baekhyun nodded shortly, stepping back near him, explaining part of the intelligence he had on him.

“It was… from a Russian gang. Boris was his name even if I don’t know his last name” Baekhyun added, nodding, and Myeon frowned interested in the revelation.

“Oh, and what was he doing here?” he asked them and even before Yeol could reply, Baekhyun shook his head.

“I don’t know. It was a quick thing and Yeol was even too professional” Baekhyun replied chuckling, puling out his best smile, and Myeon nodded shortly in understanding before thanking them again for the excellent work and granting again Baekhyun that he could take all the gems he wanted.

“You are really the best in these works, Baekhyun. Thank you for having this… collaboration with us” Myeon stated and Baekhyun sighed deeply, feeling again the weight of all what was happening on his shoulders, weighting him down, making him tired and worried about _everything_ , once again how he was when he firstly opened the shop and didn’t want to _collaborate_ with anyone, simply living his life in peace.

“Not that I could do any different” he concluded, forcing a short smile, slightly bowing toward him and exiting the room, immediately followed by Yeol.

“Baekhyun…” Yeol called him but Baekhyun walked away, not turning around, in his head mixing all the thought all the suspects he had and that he couldn’t prove.

He was so sure that Myeon knew more than _that_.

He knew of the Russians and everything else.

Maybe he didn’t expect them to be there in that moment, but the urgency with which he sent Baekhyun and Yeol spoke for itself.

“Wait, Baek…” Yeol called again, taking his wrist and Baekhyun turned shortly, frowning briefly at the nickname.

“Hey, what’s happening?” Yeol asked him, thumb rubbing small circles on his wrist and Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shifting his stare away.

Yeol was way too loyal to Myeon to ask him or to expose his doubts to him.

He would have gone immediately to speak with Myeon about them and about the Russians and that afternoon meeting with Boris.

Or maybe he already did?

“Weren’t we supposed to go away after giving the papers to Myeon?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol’s eyes went wider in surprise before he could nod shortly, letting his hand go and following him again in the parking lot, nearing Baekhyun’s black Audi.

Baekhyun sat in, lighting up a cigarette and, after Yeol sat inside too, he drove off smoking in silence.

All that situation was getting complicated and he really wanted to trust Myeon and Yeol.

But that complications during that _task_ that evening…

Baekhyun learnt to be suspicious in his life and all the things that happened around him, made him different and more critic and cold toward everything else.

However, Yeol made him… unstable.

Wondering.

Made him do things that he usually wouldn’t do.

Iron rules bending and borders getting blurry.

“Where are we going?” Yeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun hummed shortly, lighting himself another cigarette with the end of the first one.

“To the shop. So that I can put down all these boxes and we can take back your car. Will you let me drive it until _one of my secret places_?” Baekhyun replied softly, forcing a small smile toward him.

Yeol chuckled briefly, nodding.

“So you really have some of those too” Yeol commented and Baekhyun smirked softly, picking the cigarette between his fingers and puffing his smoke out of the window.

“The moon is so pretty tonight. Didn’t you propose me to stay up all night? Are you backing off now?” Baekhyun asked him before turning the steering wheel into the parking place near his shop.

“At all. For the first time you are giving in, letting me in for a while” Yeol commented softly making Baekhyun smile briefly, parking the car near the yellow Plymouth Duster and turning off the engine.

“So… Let me drive you somewhere nice?” Baekhyun whispered, fingers moving on Yeol’s cheeks and when Yeol simply nodded shortly, Baekhyun forced another short smile, exiting the car.

Baekhyun went to the shop, putting down the boxes in the safe, together with a bit more of his tools, before going out again and Yeol gave him the keys of his car, letting him drive.

“Where will you bring me?” Yeol asked him, sitting down on his passenger seat and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Somewhere up… slightly higher than Seoul usual city line” he whispered softly, driving off the parking place and going through the streets with a certain degree of confidence, despite all that situation and so on.

Yeol let out a small appreciation whistle.

“Oh, romantic” he retorted making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head.

“Let’s stop somewhere to buy two beers, just because it’s romantic” he added, smile still present on his lips, and Yeol chuckled softly again, smiling and nodding.

They spoke about stupid things about their lives, about Hun and about Jondae.

About nothings like the properties of emerald compared to sapphire and the pro of having a Berretta compared to another gun.

Which different cuts there were for diamonds and past silly things happened in EXO House.

It was… nice and Baekhyun for the first time in years felt… good.

Simply good and at ease with everything around them.

Not thinking about anything else, only what was happening in that very moment, Yeol’s low voice and his laughs, how he frowned when he was focused on the discourse, trying to understand what Baekhyun was talking about.

And when he stopped on the hills near Hannam-dong, Baekhyun exited the car, sitting on the trunk and opening two cans of beer, one for him and one for Yeol.

Yeol sat near him, stare full of wonder looking up at the moon and stars.

“It’s such a wonderful place in the middle of the city but still so quiet and natural” Yeol whispered, accepting the can of beer and making Baekhyun chuckle softly, nodding.

“You told me to bring you in one of my secret places and here we are” he muttered lighting himself a cigarette before drinking a bit of beer.

“And I can see why it is… it’s wonderful” Yeol breathed drinking some too, stare not leaving the sky.

And he was the one who was wonderful, so sparkling under the starry sky.

Silver lights illuminating his hair and making his eyes sparkle, profile of that leather jacket suddenly tinting of silver and bluet, making Baekhyun unable to shift his stare away.

“You are” Baekhyun let out almost without realizing it, attracting Yeol’s stare on himself.

There wasn’t any need of words.

Yeol simply leant in and Baekhyun met him half-way, passionately kissing him, no rush and no other people around.

Baekhyun’s fingers gently caressed Yeol’s undercut on his nape, pulling him near, slightly biting his bottom lips, licking his way in his mouth.

“Who would have imagined that you would have brought me here, being so beautiful under this starry sky… with the clear intent of spending the night here with me” Yeol whispered between his lips, distancing himself just enough to speak between them but then kissing him again.

“Please, don’t tell me it’s not your intention since day one and you didn’t meant this when you proposed me to _stay up late_ ” Baekhyun chuckled softly not distancing himself either, and Yeol bit Baekhyun’s lips slightly harder, pressing in, that being more than a clear reply already.

Baekhyun crushed the beer can in his hand before putting it behind him, hand moving to caress Yeol’s arm, up to his shoulder and again in his hair, pulling him even near.

“Are you sure you won’t leave me hanging tonight? That in few minutes you will decide that…” Yeol started saying, but Baekhyun bit harder on his bottom lip before distancing himself a bit.

“Will you relax, _big boy_? I wouldn’t bring you up here only to _leave you hanging_ ” he declared, fingers gesturing the last words, not exactly an expression he used when he was younger.

Yeol frowned shortly, eyes meeting Baekhyun’s, looking, searching for something but Baekhyun’s fingers carded again in his hair.

“Or… maybe I misread the signs? And you really wanted to simply sit here and speak with me all night about things?” he asked him, fingers gently moving down along Yeol’s neck, seeing his lips part softly, still wet with saliva.

“Don’t even think about it. _This_ is exactly what I was thinking about” Yeol whispered, voice going even deeper, stirring something pleasant inside Baekhyun, _something_ that he wasn’t willing to ignore that night.

“Let me entertain you a bit, then” he concluded before sitting up and taking Yeol’s hand in his opening the back door and gesturing Yeol inside.

Yeol sat inside and Baekhyun sat immediately near him, chuckling softly, shaking his head, attracting Yeol’s perplexed stare.

“Don’t tell me you never had sex on the back seat of your car” Baekhyun whispered, shortly moving his stare toward Yeol and lighting himself a cigarette up.

“Yeah, relaxing and chilling… several times” he replied shrugging his shoulders making Baekhyun snort shortly, smirk easily appearing on his lips.

“Ah, so this is how young people say nowadays?” he asked him and Yeol exploded in a sound laughter, shaking his head.

“For heavens’ sake, how old are you again? We only have, what, five years difference?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun dragged longer on his cigarette before smoothly stretching his arm over Yeol’s shoulders, gently pulling him near.

“Seven, actually. Are you sure you want to _relax and chill_ with someone this old?” Baekhyun breathed, tone getting lower, and even if he was still joking, the tone was different, clearly getting in the mood too.

Yeol bit his lower lip, briefly, stare meeting Baekhyun’s.

“Yeah. Also because…” Yeol started saying and swiftly moving and sitting on Baekhyun’s lap, making his eyes get wider in surprise.

Not that he disliked Yeol on his laps.

At all.

He wanted to touch him so bad.

“Because?” Baekhyun echoed shortly, dragging on his cigarette, turning around to puff out some smoke, eyes not leaving Yeol’s figure.

“You said that sex is not… exciting anymore, no?” Yeol breathed leaning down, lips brushing against Baekhyun’s ear, making him shiver briefly.

“Sex is always exciting. Even though not as much as other things, including driving this car, getting the right cut without having to retouch…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol bit his ear, shutting him up immediately, hiding a low groan.

“And you said that you do both, right?” Yeol asked him again and Baekhyun nodded shortly before rustling in the pocket of his jacket and taking out his small ashtray, pressing in his cigarette.

“Yeah. You don’t like the idea since…?” Baekhyun tried to say again but Yeol pressed a finger on his lips, smiling softly.

“Let’s try. I’m not one of those stupidly prideful gays that _or top or nothing_. You said that you will entertain me, no?” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, moving his hand behind his back and putting the gun on the seat near him.

“You always have that one?” Yeol asked him shortly leaning in and almost kissing him again.

“Don’t tell me you don’t…” he breathed softly in return, hands moving on his sides, caressing him over the jacket and Yeol snorted shortly.

“I’m part of one of the biggest mafia gang of Seoul and you think I’m not carrying at least a weapon?” he whispered between their lips, almost touching, while depositing his own on the same side where Baekhyun’s was.

“Never thought” he retorted, fingers carding through Yeol’s hair and finally closing that short distance that still existed between them.

Yeol hummed in the kiss, hands caressing Baekhyun’s side over the jacket that Baekhyun discarded near the guns, remaining only with his t-shirt.

“Oh…” Yeol whispered noticing the two threads of white gold around Baekhyun’s neck that were still partially hidden by the t-shirt.

“Necklaces…?” Yeol’s fingers moved on Baekhyun’s neck, fingers gently picking up the two accessories and gently pulling them out of the t-shirt, revealing a plain one and one with a ring hanging on it.

Baekhyun nodded briefly, fingers reaching Yeol’s on the gold thread, taking them between his and kissing them, up to his palm and wrist, making Yeol shiver on his laps, closing his eyes in appreciation.

“Usually they said that jewelers don’t wear any accessory nor jewel. You are quite the opposite…” Yeol commented, fingers going to play with Baekhyun’s rings on his hands and leaning down and slightly bit his ear, where he had his only piercing.

Baekhyun bit his lips softly, hands moving to Yeol’s side, pulling him even near, brushing their erection together, making Yeol bit him harder on his ear.

“It doesn’t seem like you dislike them, actually” Baekhyun whispered briefly, mouth moving on his neck, slightly biting him there, making Yeol hum softly, fingers carding through Baekhyun’s hair, pulling him near to himself.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply his cologne, probably something white musk based, biting him harder, sucking a hickey there and slightly lower, near his collarbones, moving his hands on Yeol’s jacket, fidgeting with the zip.

And when he managed to pull it down, he was speechless for a second before letting out a soft chuckle shaking his head, attracting again Yeol’s perplexed stare.

“Ah, youngsters these days…” Baekhyun whispered, fingers moving directly on Yeol’s skin, on his abs.

Under the leather jacket Yeol had… nothing more.

“Would you stop…?” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun not-so-gently gripped Yeol’s nipple, pulling it, making him shut up immediately, biting his lips, rolling his hips, grinding his erection with Baekhyun’s.

“You are such a wonder, here on my laps, you know?” Baekhyun whispered leaning in and starting to kiss again his neck, fingers not leaving his nipples, making Yeol groan lowly, fingers carding through Baekhyun’s hair, pulling him near.

And he really was.

Baekhyun never saw someone as beautiful and perfect, that wonderful and sparkling.

Yeol made him think of a diamond, beautiful, shining and reflecting lights so prettily.

The thought, though, stroke him especially hard.

In all his one-night stands nor previous relationships, _never_ Baekhyun compared someone not only to a _diamond_ , king of all the gemstones, but to a gem in general.

Nobody ever gave him that very same perfection vibes, that sparkle, that…

Baekhyun bit harder on Yeol’s neck, sucking another hickey.

“Can we… remove this?” Baekhyun whispered, gently pulling at the leather jacket and Yeol nodded shortly making it slide along his back, hands immediately going to Baekhyun’s t-shirt pulling it up, a clear invitation to remove that too.

Baekhyun complied, showing his skin, paler compared to Yeol’s, a nice contrast when they were that near.

“You have a lot of…” Baekhyun started saying, observing Yeol’s chest and arms, noticing how many old traces and scars he had on him.

Yeol pressed a finger on his lips softly.

“What should I say? Mine are… justified at least. You are only a jeweler, why you have so many too?” he asked him fingers gently tracing the profile of some of Baekhyun’s scars, on his collarbones, on his shoulders, on his torso, making Baekhyun shiver under the feather-like ministrations.

“Myeon didn’t tell you? It’s only a while since I’m… _only a jeweler_ ” he replied, closing his eyes in appreciation.

It was a while that nobody touched him with that intimacy, touching his scars, asking about them.

“They are maybe more than mine” Yeol whispered taking Baekhyun’s hand in his and starting to place gentle kisses from his wrist, up to his arm and forearm, reaching his shoulder, making Baekhyun grip slightly harder on Yeol’s sides, biting his lips.

“One day, if there will be the chance, I’ll show you the ones I have on my back” Baekhyun let out softly, too lost in Yeol’s pleasant ministrations that now moved on his neck, kissing and licking it, sometimes gently biting it too.

Baekhyun’s hands went again on Yeol’s chest, playing with his nipples, making Yeol moan softly, grinding his erection against Baekhyun’s, making Baekhyun shortly move his hand there, gripping on it, making Yeol groan, thrusting in Baekhyun’s hand.

“You are already this hard…” Baekhyun whispered to his ear before biting it, pinching once more his nipple and gently stroking his erection, making him moan louder, arching his back toward Baekhyun.

“You are just treating me so well, it’s only natural, no?” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun chuckled softly nodding before he could bite him harder on his ear before whispering a soft _let me treat you even better_.

Yeol groaned again, leaning in again, kissing Baekhyun’s neck, while Baekhyun unbuckled his trousers, revealing his erection, hard and probably already leaking precum.

Baekhyun freed it also of his boxer, gently stroking it, making Yeol card his fingers more in Baekhyun’s hair, gripping hard.

“Your hands are cold” Yeol whispered softly and Baekhyun chuckled softly, playfully biting his neck.

“You will get use soon… Don’t complain too much” he breathed in reply but Yeol shook his head.

“I wasn’t complaining… I like it. As I like your rings. It’s pleasant feeling them against my skin and… seeing them around my cock” Yeol commented, briefly meeting Baekhyun’s stare, and Baekhyun found it surprisingly deep, blown and wanting.

And Baekhyun liked all of that too, _way more_ he could care to admit.

His head and his senses were all full of Yeol and him only.

He wasn’t thinking about anything else but him, sense overwhelmed by _everything_ concerning that guy he barely knew something about that in that moment was sitting on his laps, so willing to be fucked by Baekhyun.

“You like them?” Baekhyun asked him, slightly gripping harder and stroking him less leisurely than before, making Yeol moan loudly, thrusting in Baekhyun’s hand, biting his lips trying to muffle the sounds.

“You can let yourself go, _big boy_. No one will hear us here” Baekhyun breathed, starting again to suck a hickey on his neck, stroking him more, following Yeol’s pace, how he rolled his hips on Baekhyun’s laps.

Yeol moaned again, this time without restriction and Baekhyun smirked shortly, biting him again, before stroking him faster, fingers playing with his nipples.

“Ah, Baek… slow down” Yeol whispered but Baekhyun bit him again, this time on his ear.

“Slow down? Aren’t you enjoying it quite a bit?” Baekhyun asked him and he did slow down, even if imperceptibly, making Yeol set the pace and he didn’t slow down at all.

“Won’t you come for me?” Baekhyun asked him, voice barely audible against his ear, before he could pinch slightly harder his nipple and following Yeol’s pace for his stroke, making him come hot and thick on Baekhyun’s chest with a low groan, muttering Baekhyun’s name.

Yeol was… perfect while basking in the high of his come.

Lips red slightly parted, panting, eyes darker than usual, full blown.

“Perfection” Baekhyun let out without even realizing, clean hand stroking gently Yeol’s cheek, making him lean in at the coldness of Baekhyun’s hand.

“I’m…” Yeol whispered but Baekhyun smiled toward him.

“Pleased? Satisfied? In bliss? These are the only things I’ll accept after that _I am_ ” Baekhyun stated smile not leaving his lips even if Yeol’s stare was perplexed, shifting away.

“No, I…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun pressed his fingers on his lips.

“You want more or do you want me to drive you home?” Baekhyun asked him briefly, making Yeol’s stare move again on Baekhyun, suddenly amused, soft chuckle leaving his lips.

“Drive me home? We have a lot time more until the end of the night” he breathed leaning down and kissing Baekhyun, slowly, fingers carding through his hair pulling him near and Baekhyun hummed in the kiss, pulling him even nearer.

“What can I do to entertain you some more…? Want me to touch you more?” Baekhyun asked him fingers gingerly moving along Yeol’s chest and torso, making him shiver again on his laps, closing his eyes in appreciation.

“I could…” Yeol started saying fingers moving to his own lips but Baekhyun smirked briefly.

“If you are up to it, let me do it. I’m dying to do it for… I think the very same moment we met?” Baekhyun whispered, biting his own lips, stare enquire Yeol’s whole figure on his laps, making a soft blush appearing on Yeol’s cheeks, almost choking on his own breath.

“Oh come on, _big boy._ Don’t be so surprised. It’s not a secret that I fancy you since the very same moment you set foot in my shop. I wouldn’t flirt around this much and I wouldn’t bring you here over Hannam-dong to, how was it, relax and chill?” Baekhyun stated, snorting briefly, shaking his head and picking up another cigarette, lighting it up and dragging longer on it, enjoying the burning sensation together with Yeol’s presence on his laps.

Indeed.

_Perfection_.

“What about this?” Yeol asked him gesturing toward Baekhyun’s torso splattered with Yeol’s cum.

Baekhyun rested his cigarette between his lips before picking up his discarded t-shirt and using it for cleaning it.

“It seems that jacket without nothing under is a new trend” Baekhyun commented, smile not leaving his lips before he could drag longer and taking back his cigarette between his fingers.

Yeol let out a short chuckle before moving his fingers to caress Baekhyun’s neck, making him close his eyes, simply enjoying the touches.

“Who knew that _only a jeweler_ could be this enthralling and fascinating?” Yeol breathed shortly, nearing him and even before Baekhyun could open his eyes again, Yeol kissed him softly, biting his bottom lip.

Baekhyun gently pushed him away before finishing again his cigarette, puffing out all the smoke.

“I taste like smoke, it’s not the…” Baekhyun started saying finally pushing it in his ashtray, that went back immediately in his jacket.

However, Yeol leant down again, placing again his lips on Baekhyun’s, licking them.

“The best? For me it is. It’s… pleasant feeling it on your lips” Yeol whispered softly, moving from Baekhyun’s lips to his chin, his neck, making Baekhyun groan lowly, hands moving again on Yeol’s sides.

“You are tempting me now, you know? To kiss you every time I have a cigarette in my hands” Baekhyun whispered, snuggling his nose on Yeol’s neck before slightly nibbling him again, making Yeol arch his back toward Baekhyun.

“I wouldn’t mind at all. It would be… sexy” Yeol breathed, groaning again and pulling Baekhyun even near himself.

Baekhyun groaned too, biting harder on Yeol’s neck, making him moan lowly and breathy.

Baekhyun’s hand moved from his sides to Yeol’s buttocks, squeezing them, nearing Yeol even more to him.

And even without adding any other word, Yeol slightly moved on his laps, pulling down his trousers enough for Baekhyun to have access to his entrance.

Baekhyun bit his lips, anticipation rising strong in him, his own erection getting harder, calling him, asking for a release.

“Want to suck them for me?” Baekhyun asked him showing his own fingers and Yeol nodded shortly, softly parting his lips, welcoming Baekhyun’s fingers in his mouth, covering them with saliva, gently, slowly so unbelievably slow that Baekhyun couldn’t shift his stare away, enthralled by how Yeol’s tongue moved on his fingers, wondering how good he would do around his erection.

“Is this enough?” Yeol asked him popping them out and Baekhyun simply nodded, fingers going immediately to tease Yeol’s entrance, circling around it, poking it more than actually inserting something.

Yeol growled lowly, moving and trying to convince Baekhyun to insert something, to give him some friction.

“You are teasing me now” he almost whined when Baekhyun circled it again without inserting neither one finger and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle before finally giving in, pressing one fingers against Yeol’s entrance, slowly pushing it in, making Yeol arch his back against the insertion, moaning lowly, taking every little inch inside him.

And Baekhyun was surprised but also aroused.

A lot aroused.

Yeol felt so tight and so hot, and Baekhyun bit his lips when starting to thrust the finger in, testing, Yeol took it better than expected, allowing him to thrust in another finger, making Yeol moan and grip harder on Baekhyun’s shoulder.

Baekhyun was… enthralled by everything.

Yeol was so perfect and beautiful there on his laps, pressing against his fingers, trying to set a pace to the insertion, moaning and literally preparing himself to be fucked by Baekhyun.

Yeol’s erection was already hard again, leaking precum and Baekhyun’s other hand went to it, gently stroking it, making Yeol cry in pleasure.

“Ah, no, don’t…” Yeol whispered, gripping harder on Baekhyun’s shoulders and Baekhyun smiled softly.

“Look at you, so beautiful, hard and perfect for me” Baekhyun breathed before inserting another finger, making Yeol arch even more his back, hosting Baekhyun’s fingers even deeper inside himself, moaning loudly.

“Baek…” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun’s eyes met Yeol’s, darker and fully blown, clearly wanting for more.

“Tell me what you want. You want to come again like this? Fucking yourself on my fingers while I stroke you or…?” he started saying, setting a faster pace inside Yeol who groaned, following it, clearly enjoying it, pleasantly stretching inside him, fingers reaching deeper and deeper.

“Or…” Baekhyun tried to say again but Yeol leant down pressing their lips together, kissing him sloppily but everything Baekhyun wanted in that moment.

“Fuck me” Yeol breathed between his lips, slightly biting his bottom lip and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Seems the best option, yes. I kind of… like this whole thing too and I don’t think I can resist you much more” Baekhyun whispered making Yeol frown shortly before he could move his hands on Baekhyun’s erection, finding it hard.

Yeol pressed with a little more intention on it, making Baekhyun bite his lips to hide a moan.

“You should let yourself go a bit too…” Yeol whispered but Baekhyun thrusted harder his fingers inside him, making Yeol moan loudly, Baekhyun’s fingers finally hitting his prostate, making him a moaning mess.

“You are so perfect” Baekhyun muttered biting his neck and Yeol gripped harder in Baekhyun’s hair.

“Stop turning around it and take me already. I can’t wait anymore” he stated almost ordering it and Baekhyun didn’t dislike it.

His fingers went to unbuckle his own trousers, pulling down also his boxer, helped by Yeol and when Baekhyun’s stare went on Yeol he was biting his lips, fingers gently reaching for Baekhyun’s erection hard and twitching between them.

“I want you so bad…” Yeol breathed, gently stroking it and Baekhyun groaned lowly, liking that sensation way too much.

Yeol’s fingers were delicate on his erection, gingerly, feather-like, making him lose that few of control he thought he still had.

“There’s a condom in my wallet…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol shook his head briefly.

“Too much hassle looking for it right now” he breathed in reply and Baekhyun snorted softly, shaking his head.

“Are you sure?” he asked him and Yeol nodded shortly, giving his okay to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun bit his lips, leisurely thrusting some few times more inside Yeol before he slowly removed his fingers, pulling Yeol even nearer than before.

“This position is fine or…?” Baekhyun asked him, making Yeol frown shortly, perplexed.

“Are there any others doable here?” he retorted immediately making Baekhyun chuckle again, shaking his head.

“These youngsters” he commented again and even before Yeol could retort something more, Baekhyun pressed a finger on his lips.

“You riding me. From behind. The most normal position ever…Tell me what you want and I’ll show you the way” Baekhyun stated shortly, making Yeol’s eyes went even wider in perplexity.

“I… I…” he started saying but Baekhyun smiled at him softly.

“With your own words. Do you want to ride me since it was _the only doable position_ that you were ready for?” he asked him briefly and Yeol… _pouted_.

A real pout, so adorable that Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity totally not expecting it at all.

“T-This way is fine” he whispered shifting his stare away and Baekhyun smiled again, pulling him down and kissing him slowly, pulling him even nearer if possible, fingers going to tug his own erection, biting Yeol’s lips in the kiss.

“Can I do it myself…?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded shortly, removing his fingers from his own erection, feeling Yeol’s on it, way more tentative and delicate than his.

And after few more strokes, Yeol found the right position for him and bottomed out without any further notice, making Baekhyun throw back his head, gripping harder on his sides not to thrust inside him.

“You are so thick” Yeol moaned lowly, fingers carding in Baekhyun’s hair, making him groan lowly.

“You could have taken your time” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol pushed a finger on his lips.

“Will you just shut up and fuck me?” he asked him making Baekhyun’s erection twitch inside Yeol, ready for whatever was about to happen.

Baekhyun’s hand went to Yeol’s hips, caressing him gently, making him shiver.

“Start the pace, _big boy_ , and let’s see if you will manage to keep up the tempo” he whispered making Yeol smirk toward him, nodding, starting to move on his laps, letting himself go to the pleasure, fingers playing with Baekhyun’s hair.

Baekhyun groaned again, enjoying the friction more than previewed and once again Yeol’s everything surrounded him, making him unable to focus on anything but Yeol and Yeol only.

“You are so good. Let me hear you more” Baekhyun whispered, fingers moving on Yeol’s nipple, pinching it, pulling between his fingers, while his mouth moved again on his neck, licking and biting it.

Yeol’s fingers carded in Baekhyun’s hair again, pulling him near, riding him, moaning lowly, setting a faster pace on his laps.

“I love the way you are filling me up” Yeol let out making Baekhyun groan again, thrusting harder inside him, making him moan again, arching his back, letting Baekhyun thrust deeper, hitting his prostate, making him cry in pleasure.

“Ah, there” Yeol breathed, so lowly and pleasantly, that his voice went directly to harden Baekhyun’s erection even more.

Baekhyun’s hand moved on his buttocks, helping Yeol moving better on him, steadily, keeping up a faster pace even if Yeol was clearly lost in the pleasure.

“More…” Yeol added, closing his eyes, lost in how good Baekhyun was making him feel in that moment, bearing his neck to Baekhyun to bite it better.

“You like it here?” Baekhyun asked him continuously hitting on Yeol’s prostate, receiving only louder moans and a vague nod in reply.

And Baekhyun simply let himself go too.

It was years since last time he felt that good during sex, Yeol’s perfection on his laps, calling him, arousing all his senses, asking him more.

Baekhyun simply wanted to give him more, to make him come again and again.

So he simply thrusted harder inside him, making Yeol moan even louder, pulling him near for another sloppy kiss and before he could even realize it, Yeol was coming between them, calling him with such a sensual, deep voice that Baekhyun didn’t know anything else but that moment.

He came with Yeol’s name on his lips few thrusts after, making him yip at the sensation.

Baekhyun wasn’t used to _that kind_ of orgasm anymore, seeing flashes of white and sparkling lights behind his eyes, panting, trying to regain control over himself, his mind and his body.

Everything was… _too much_.

Yeol’s presence on his laps, his cologne, the way he squeezed Baekhyun inside himself, his fingers carding through his hair and his lips on his.

Everything was definitely too much for Baekhyun, making him breathless and in bliss for longer than expected.

“You… okay?” he managed to breath, stroking Yeol’s cheek, making him nod softly before he could lean his forehead on Baekhyun’s shoulder.

“Ah no, _big boy_ , forget it. You can’t sleep on me” he stated immediately but receiving only a low groan from Yeol.

Baekhyun gently smacked his buttock, earning himself a small _ouch_ in reply.

“Come on, that I’ve also to drive you back” Baekhyun continued but Yeol snuggled his nose better in Baekhyun’s neck, earning himself a long sigh from Baekhyun.

Baekhyun carded his fingers in Yeol’s hair, caressing them softly, before he could rustle again in his jacket, picking up a cigarette and lighting it up.

He smoked in silence, fingers still caressing Yeol’s hair and still having him on his laps, unmoving from his position.

And a sudden realization hit him.

What there was better than that?

Smoking after one of the best sex experiences he ever had in his life with someone who was clearly physically-only invested in him.

Probably nothing.

They stayed there for few minutes, time for Baekhyun to smoke two cigarettes without any rush, before Yeol could groan again on his neck.

“I would sleep here but we have to move right?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding.

“Yeah… It’s almost three already” he commented checking his phone and seeing few messages from Jondae.

He inhaled deeply, reality slapping him harder than expected.

“Come on, _big boy_ ” he whispered and Yeol nodded, gently moving, hissing at the friction when he finally moved from Baekhyun’s laps to the seat near him.

“Let me help you clean up” Baekhyun proposed but Yeol was already putting on his jeans, buckling them.

“No worries. I’ll do it when I go home” he replied and Baekhyun hummed briefly picking up again his t-shirt and cleaning the rest of the mess for Yeol’s come, before pulling up boxer and trousers too.

“It’s just that it’s… annoying” Baekhyun stated making Yeol chuckle briefly.

“I know, but nothing that I’ve never went through” he started saying and even before Baekhyun could retort something again, Yeol pushed a finger on his lips.

“And nothing that can ruin how good I felt here with you” he added smiling softly making Baekhyun open in a soft smile too.

“Let me drive you home, _big boy_. That tomorrow is another long day” Baekhyun concluded using again his t-shirt to clean his own torso before putting on his jacket without putting on also the t-shirt.

Yeol looked at him, biting his lips.

“It was better if you never discovered this trend” he stated shortly, making Baekhyun frown shortly at the mention.

“Why?” he asked him, closing up the buttons of his jacket, even though part of the chest and all his neck were still visible.

“You look too hot for my own good” Yeol concluded sitting again in the passenger seat and leaving Baekhyun standing there, feeling his cheeks getting warmer at the compliment.

It wasn’t good at all.

Like it wasn’t that he broke his _golden rule_ so royally and easily that he didn’t know how to justify himself.

Because there was nothing to justify…

He screwed up.

Even though he felt _so damn good_.

He shook his head shortly, sitting again on the driver seat, turning the engine on and finally driving them to EXO house once again.

The day after, or better, two hours after that Baekhyun drove them _home_ , his alarm went off, making him groan and ache everywhere.

“I’m too old for this…” he whispered sitting up and stretching his arms over his head before picking up a cigarette from his nightstand and picking up also his lighter and his ashtray.

He blindly chose something to wear and then went in the kitchen where he didn’t find anyone.

He smiled briefly, pouring himself some instant coffee and eating a milk bread before he could exit again, going to the shop.

It was weird without Yeol around but he kind of understood what happened, Yeol being too tired and too sleepy to wake up at that hour.

He opened the shop, fidgeting with the cashier and all the other things that usually Jondae did in his stake.

Jondae arrived almost an hour before, smiling, together with Xiumin.

“Morning” Jondae greeted him and Baekhyun gestured a greeting with his hand, before picking up again his cigarette.

“You look… tired” Jondae stated and Baekhyun yawned again for the probably hundredth time since when he was awake.

“Yeah, slept badly tonight” he replied shrugging his shoulders and Xiumin looked around perplexed.

“Where’s Yeol?” he asked him and Baekhyun hummed briefly.

“I think he’s still sleeping? I didn’t see him today in the kitchen” Baekhyun replied softly and Xiumin frowned again, perplexed.

“I’ll call him” he concluded exiting shortly from the shop and Baekhyun hummed in reply before shaking his head.

“Yesterday I… found some new gemstones. I’ll be in the studio for a while. Call me if you need me” he added and Jondae frowned shortly, interested.

“Found?” he echoed and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Yeah, found. An… equal exchange” he retorted briefly, using the end of his cigarette to light up another one.

“Okay… and stop smoking that much!” Jondae added making Baekhyun shrug his shoulders shortly, going in his studio.

He sat down to his desk and lightened the lights up, picking up the magnifying lens.

And he was about to open one of the small boxes from the previous night when the door opened loudly Yeol entering sweaty and panting like he ran there.

“Morning” Baekhyun stated, stare moving toward him shortly, just to go back to what he was doing.

“You are the worst” Yeol whispered closing the door behind him and sitting on the small foldable chair in front of Baekhyun’s desk.

Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“Did I do something…?” he started saying, turning the small magnifying lens between his fingers, stare moving again on Yeol.

“What about the _where you go, I follow_? I thought I was clear with you still being in danger” Yeol stated and he was… worried?

Baekhyun inhaled briefly, fingers carding through his hair.

“Listen…” Baekhyun whispered, lighting up another cigarette, stare not leaving Yeol’s face.

Yeol was about to speak up but Baekhyun pressed his fingers on his own lips.

“I thought you needed a bit more of sleep, since what’s happened last night” he muttered, smoking slowly and Yeol frowned shortly, shaking his head.

“I don’t…” he started saying but Baekhyun sighed briefly, shaking his head.

“Next time, I’ll wake you up. Sorry” he concluded, shifting his stare away, too tired for having whichever argument with Yeol in that moment.

He leant his head on his hand, closing his eyes, feeling a terrible headache raising up.

“You look like shit” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun let out a short chuckle, shaking his head.

“Thank you, I appreciate it” he replied briefly before inhaling deeper, dragging longer on his cigarette before pressing it on the ashtray he had on the desk.

Yeol groaned lowly, sitting up and turning around the desk, gently putting his hands on Baekhyun’s shoulders.

“Relax for me a bit?” Yeol whispered briefly starting to massage him softly his shoulders and Baekhyun groaned lowly, feeling his shoulders aching even more than that morning.

“Yeol, I…” he whispered but Yeol massaged him harder, making Baekhyun shut up immediately, closing his eyes and simply enjoying the sensation of Yeol’s warm hands on his shoulders.

Yeol leant down kissing his neck briefly, making Baekhyun shiver, fingers carding through his hair.

“You should have called me this morning. I wanted to have breakfast together” Yeol breathed near his ear and Baekhyun bit his lips, inhaling softly.

“You were so tired yesterday you were dozing off also in the car. I thought that few hours more of sleep would be appreciated?” he retorted immediately and Yeol bit his ear softly.

“That’s _oh so kind_ of you, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’m big enough to know if I can sleep enough or not” Yeol whispered, fingers playing with the necklaces on Baekhyun’s neck, making him hide another shiver down his spine.

“Yesterday I didn’t have the time to tell you properly, but…” Yeol continued and Baekhyun closed his eyes, simply listening to Yeol’s voice that near to him, low and deep.

“I liked every single moment of it” he breathed and Baekhyun smiled softly, fingers caressing Yeol’s hair.

“You are very welcome. It was… better than expected. I liked it too” Baekhyun replied making Yeol kiss his cheek softly.

“That’s nice hearing you say it. Does this mean that we can have other… Possibilities?” Yeol asked him briefly, fingers gently playing with his hair, making Baekhyun sigh deeply, fingers moving to take Yeol’s in his.

“When you want, I can’t deny this… chemistry between us, Yeol” Baekhyun replied softly, playing with Yeol’s fingers making him chuckle softly.

Baekhyun thought a lot about it that morning going to work.

And it was no use refusing whatever there was between him and Yeol.

Because it was fated to happen, for how much he resisted it.

Their synchronicity already so good despite knowing from no more than few months.

And the previous night, Baekhyun really felt like he was _connected_ with Yeol, moment perfectly realizing and calling him, asking him to repeat it, again and again.

Baekhyun didn’t forget about his rule and how sex was NG when mixed with work, but as long as feelings didn’t come in the picture…

“Strange to hear you this honest, but I appreciate it. Maybe you won’t force yourself to refuse something that it’s… natural” Yeol added biting his ear again, making Baekhyun shake your head shortly.

“You couldn’t wait right?” he retorted immediately and Yeol let out a short chuckle.

“Tell me you don’t want it and I’ll reconsider it” Yeol stated but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, sitting up.

“Oh, sure. Because after yesterday, you think that I would let _this_ slip from my fingers?” Baekhyun asked him, fingers gently pulling down Yeol’s shirt collar, making them once again so near that Baekhyun could sniff again his cologne, only realizing in that moment that on Yeol’s chin there was a bit of toothpaste.

Baekhyun snorted shortly, before licking his thumb and cleaning him.

“How old are you?” Baekhyun asked him chuckling, but Yeol leant in again, kissing him, biting Baekhyun’s bottom lips.

And before Yeol could deepen the kiss, Baekhyun slightly pressed him against the glass cases.

“I’ve some rules to this though” Baekhyun stated pressing his fingers on Yeol’s lips, smile getting wider on his lips.

“Rules?” Yeol echoed taking Baekhyun’s fingers in his hand, kissing them softly, gently.

Baekhyun forced his stare on Yeol’s eyes instead of his lips, memories of the previous night coming back at him with a charming strength.

“Yeah, I… still need this work. So… keep your hands far from me while I’m inside here or I won’t ever cut a gemstone once again” he stated, making Yeol smirk shortly, tongue gently licking Baekhyun’s fingers still on his lips, earning a soft whimper from Baekhyun.

“Do I… enthrall you this much?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, pressing him even better against the glass cases.

“If you do? I can’t wait to touch you again, feel you again like last night” Baekhyun replied, fingers gently touching his neck, eyes meeting Yeol’s before shortly pulling him down again.

“I don’t know why, but you are… something different. I can’t explain it but there’s _something_ between us, and I’ve never felt so attracted to anybody else. So much that I’d like to have my hands on you every single second of my day, especially after yesterday, after that I know that you are even better than I thought” he breathed softly between his lips, without closing that small distance.

“So…” Yeol whispered leaning in again and Baekhyun chuckled distancing himself, shaking his head.

“So as long as we are inside here, keep your hands in your pockets and let me do my work. Outside here, we can… talk about it” he stated shortly and Yeol nodded briefly, gently taking his hands and pulling him near again, pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s, shortly, no more than a peck.

“Fine. I’ll let you work… But tonight…” he started and Baekhyun smiled shortly, nodding.

“It will be difficult in EXO house, you know?” Baekhyun commented before sitting down again on his desk and Yeol sighed briefly, sitting down in front of Baekhyun’s desk.

Baekhyun hummed shortly, taking again his magnifying lens and starting again observing the gems he took the evening before.

“And we can’t exactly… stay up every night like last night. For how much I liked yesterday, I need slightly more sleep hours” Baekhyun stated briefly and Yeol nodded shortly, totally agreeing with him.

“However,” Baekhyun whispered, turning the stone between his fingers, analyzing it and not being properly _glad_ about it since it was a bit more impure than what he expected.

“I still have an apartment” Baekhyun stated, glancing toward Yeol who beamed at him, nodding.

“Ah, this is a fantastic…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun stopped him with a small gesture of his hand.

“We have to remain in EXO House for the most of our time, tho. I can’t lower my defenses too much. I don’t want anything to happen to Dae” Baekhyun explained, became again serious and earning a short nod from Yeol.

“Sure. I will be more at ease too” Yeol agreed softly and Baekhyun nodded briefly, smiling at him.

“And our rooms are… near each other. If we are _quiet_ enough, we can do something over there too” Baekhyun concluded, picking up another gem and noting the same impurity also in that.

He sighed shortly, finally picking up the emerald that was clearly robbed from that museum in California.

It was unmistakably… true and one of the purest emeralds he ever had the pleasure to have in his hands.

He sat up, moving around toward the safe at his back.

Baekhyun pulled out his keys from his pockets, looking the right key and then leaning down, inserting the key and pressing the code on the pinpad.

The safe opened creaking, and Baekhyun kneeled down in front of it.

“Oh… your safe” Yeol stated sitting up too and Baekhyun for a moment almost forgot that Yeol was still there.

There was _something_ that made Baekhyun trust Yeol.

Even more than when he was with Jondae.

And that… was a problem.

“Ah, yeah. It’s… the one for the shop. But I have also one in my apartment and a security box in the bank” he explained briefly, opening one of the lower drawers and revealing his own emerald, the one that he _obtained_ years before.

Yeol kneeled down near him, looking interested.

“It’s a… huge-ass emerald” Yeol stated making Baekhyun chuckle softly, nodding.

“This emerald has a long story… And it’s mine since few years now” he whispered, passing the gem to Yeol who turned it in his fingers before giving it back to Baekhyun that put it away.

“It’s bigger and purer than that one. And… I’m planning to give that back to Phil” Baekhyun added gesturing toward the one he left on his desk, making Yeol frown shortly.

“Why giving it back? I mean, nobody knows you have it now” he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

Baekhyun smiled softly, shaking his head.

“I’m… not that kind of person anymore. And I know how this emerald is important to Phil and his museum” he breathed, shrugging his shoulders, before closing the safe and standing up again.

“What about that diamond then?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun’s stare hardened immediately.

“What about that?” he retorted putting away his keys in his pocket and moving again toward his desk.

“You stole that too. I’m sure that there’s someone who still miss it” Yeol stated shortly, sitting again in front of Baekhyun’s desk.

Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line.

“Ex owner is dead. I shot him for auto-defense. His family doesn’t deserve to have it back. Reason why even after almost a year of jail, it’s still missing because I didn’t want to tell anybody was I did with it, if I hid it or if I sold it or if I still have it with me” he explained softly, shrugging his shoulders, picking up his magnifying lens and picking up a small sapphire that he was working on.

“You were to jail?” Yeol asked him perplexed making Baekhyun bit his lips.

Again.

Too much intimacy.

And he let himself slip too many things.

Things that supposed to remain hidden, at least to Yeol.

Baekhyun inhaled shortly, nodding.

“Yeah. For… a while, almost a year. It was… _interesting_. The only thing that I’m grateful for is that I managed to become friends with some guards, and I was _nice_ enough to exit under probation. After few months, I was good and nobody had doubts on me anymore. That was the only time I got caught stealing and just because being accused of robbery is different compared to homicide” he explained briefly and Yeol frowned again in perplexity.

“Baekhyun you are full of surprises” Yeol whispered but Baekhyun simply shook his head.

A lot of awful memories of those days made him feel suddenly blue, aching especially in his back, hurting deep in his scars.

“I simply paid for my mistakes. But it’s really necessary to speak about this? Haven’t we something better to talk about?” he asked him, forcing his thoughts away from that matter, forcing a small smile and Yeol nodded shortly.

“As you prefer, Baekhyun. You are not forced to do anything you don’t want to do when I’m around. I’m here to protect you and this only, so if you are not up to talk about something, you can simply tell me” he explained and Baekhyun nodded briefly before forcing another small smile.

“Thank you” he whispered, voice barely audible and he realized that he really meant that sentence.

Because Yeol was interested in Baekhyun but not in the forceful way.

He asked him about the diamond but only related to the emerald, only curiosity about why Baekhyun didn’t give it back instead of keeping it with him.

Not to know where it was.

How big it was.

If it was true or not that it was the second biggest blue diamond second only to the Hope Diamond.

Simply why Baekhyun still refused speaking about where it was and didn’t consider giving it back to its original owner.

And Baekhyun was really grateful for that.

Days started to pass slowly between them, routine moved only by few missions that Myeon gave them and that simply strengthened whatever bond there was between Baekhyun and Yeol.

They were inseparable, more than before, spending each waking moment together.

Sometimes even their sleeping moments, since Baekhyun didn’t always manage to drive them home after some late-night sex or because he was too tired to leave Yeol’s bed in his room at EXO House, too warm and too much with Yeol’s perfume.

Both of them didn’t exactly know _what_ there was between them and they didn’t even bother facing whatever it was.

They simply accepted whatever it came, enjoying their time together and that chemistry, that synchronicity that Baekhyun never felt with anyone before Yeol.

Baekhyun was smoking in silence, sitting on the couch of his old apartment, staring out of the window that night, lost in his thoughts, when Yeol’s warm hands surprised him caressing his neck.

“It’s two in the morning, what are you doing awake?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun forced a small smile, shaking his head.

“I could ask you the same since you are here” he retorted still not giving him a clear reply.

Yeol turned around the couch sitting down with him.

“I woke up and you weren’t near me, so I came to check on you” Yeol replied honestly, stare moving on Baekhyun and waiting for a reply from him.

When nothing came, Yeol stretched his hand to caress Baekhyun’s cheek, touch barely there but enough for Baekhyun to feel his warmth.

“I thought you went back to EXO House or to the shop” Chanyeol added briefly, tentatively, clearly trying to understand what was happening in Baekhyun’s mind but Baekhyun shook his head softly.

“I promised you. I won’t go away without telling you” Baekhyun commented shortly and Yeol went closer to him, snuggling his nose in Baekhyun’s hoodie.

“Then why you are up at this ungodly hour?” Yeol asked him, fingers going to play with Baekhyun’s rings and making Baekhyun inhale softly, shaking his head.

“And don’t tell it’s nothing” Yeol stated immediately, earning himself a perplexed stare from Baekhyun.

Yeol really was too damn perceptive sometimes and Baekhyun sometimes forgot how good the other was to read him.

“We are together too much” he muttered even if on his lips there was a small smile and Yeol was already shaking his head shortly.

“An impossibility” he retorted, shrugging his shoulder, making Baekhyun smile slightly wider, before he could light himself another cigarette.

Yeol was… soft despite his appearance.

When Baekhyun started to know him better, he knew that behind those flirty jokes and behaviors there was something more, caring, honest, kind-hearted despite his work.

“I’m worried about Dae” Baekhyun let out suddenly, making Yeol frown shortly, moving even closer if possible and starting to caress Baekhyun’s thigh.

“Why?” he asked briefly and Baekhyun hummed briefly, dragging longer on his cigarette before resting his head on the couch, exhaling the smoke toward the ceiling.

“He’s in love, so much, and I don’t know how to say him that maybe it’s not… _right_?” Baekhyun continued, making Yeol frown even deeper.

“He spends his time only with _hyung_ , how can he be in love with someone?” Yeol asked him but it was necessary just Baekhyun’s side glance to make him open his mouth without saying anything, suddenly stroke by the realization.

Baekhyun gently pressed his hand under Yeol’s mouth, closing it up and smiling softly at him.

“Tell me, do you know something I don’t? Xiumin told you something about his relationship with Dae?” Baekhyun asked him, moving his legs over Yeol’s ones and Yeol started caressing them briefly, almost absent-mindedly.

“You know I can’t even pick right from left in these things” Yeol breathed shortly and Baekhyun chuckled softly pressing the butt of his cigarette in a glass ashtray on the small table in front of him.

“I know, so I’ll investigate on it in these days” Baekhyun concluded softly and Yeol hummed briefly.

“If you want, I can ask around a bit too?” he proposed, stare moving toward him and Baekhyun smiled at him, nodding almost imperceptibly, but knowing that Yeol saw the gesture.

“With discretion” he added immediately, knowing Yeol’s ways of investigating and making Yeol chuckle, shaking his head.

“Sure, sure” he concluded leaning down and gently kissing Baekhyun’s cheek.

There was a small silence in which simply Yeol continued to caress Baekhyun’s thighs and Baekhyun carded his hands in Yeol’s hair, stroking it.

Baekhyun lighted up another cigarette, slowly dragging on it, simply enjoying Yeol’s touches on his thighs.

However, he knew that it was only a matter of minutes before Yeol proposed him somethings.

So, Baekhyun preceded him, slightly gripping on Yeol’s hair and pulling him closer to himself, placing his lips on Yeol’s, slowly kissing him.

“I wondered when you would kiss me. It was your second cigarette already” Yeol breathed between their lips, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, placing another small peck before dragging again on his cigarette.

“You could have come down here and kiss me, you know?” he replied briefly and Yeol slightly gripped harder on Baekhyun’s thigh, fingers reaching higher, almost groin area.

“You seemed… worried about Jondae, I didn’t want to…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun snorted shortly, shaking his head before finishing his cigarette, pressing the end on the glass ashtray.

“Annoy me? Distract me? With a single kiss?” Baekhyun asked him, stare moving again toward Yeol who smiled at him briefly.

“Do you really think that being us both awake at this hour of the night, I would be satisfied with a simple kiss?” Yeol asked him back, leaning down to gently bite his ear, making Baekhyun bit his lips shortly.

“So… are you proposing me something or…?” Baekhyun retorted softly, fingers gently pulling Yeol’s hair, nearer, feeling his lips moving on his neck, the hand that wasn’t on his thigh, caressing his side.

“Aren’t you already accepting?” Yeol breathed against his neck before slightly biting him there, making Baekhyun shiver, biting his lips again to hide a moan.

“I… could yeah. What do you want us to do? Already have some ideas or let’s go with the flow?” Baekhyun whispered, feeling Yeol’s fingers gripping harder on his own hoodie.

Oh, so he had some ideas.

“When I entered the room I found you… _soft_ and kind of wanted to suck you off, actually” Yeol let out shortly making Baekhyun chuckle softly, still enjoying Yeol’s lips on his neck.

“I’m _soft_ ” he started saying, gesturing the word with his fingers, “so you thought of sucking me off?” he concluded chuckling and Yeol bit him slightly harder, making him hide a groan.

“Yeah… it’s just that you sleeping with your hoodie but only with your boxer, makes you sexier than usual and seeing you here, like this, screamed _sex_ more than some tight outfit you could wear” Yeol breathed before sucking a hickey on Baekhyun’s neck, making him gripping harder in his hair, pulling him even nearer.

“You never saw me with a _tight outfit_ probably” Baekhyun stated proudly, but Chanyeol bit him again before sitting up from the couch just to spread Baekhyun’s legs and kneel down in front of him.

“You turn me on with whatever on, I don’t know if you realize it already…” Yeol honestly let out, hand gently massaging Baekhyun’s inner thighs, getting to his groin area, making Baekhyun relax his back against the couch.

“Such a nice thing to know…” he whispered even if his words go a bit lost in the end because Yeol’s hand gently pressed on Baekhyun’s bulge on his boxer, cutting him off, biting his lips to hide another groan.

“It’s rare seeing you this eager to…” Baekhyun started saying, but Yeol already pulled down his boxer, just enough to reveal Baekhyun’s erection, half hard thanks to Yeol’s previous touches.

“Come on, it’s few days that every time we try to do something, someone interrupt us” Yeol breathed clearly annoyed by the thing, gently caressing Baekhyun’s erection, making Baekhyun bit his lips again.

And Yeol was right, unfortunately.

In those last days, each time they found themselves alone or with a bit of spare time in their hands, suddenly something weird happened like Myeon calling them when they just arrived in Baekhyun’s old apartment to call them back to EXO House.

Or Jondae drunk-talking late at night when they least expected it.

Or Sehun looking for attentions from Yeol who barely spent time with him since when Baekhyun entered his life.

Baekhyun carded his fingers in Yeol’s hair, gently, caressing more than tugging.

“I know, I was just teasing you” he pointed out, half-smile appearing on his lips and Yeol let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head before fixing his position between Baekhyun’s knees.

“Don’t you prefer if we go on the bed…?” Baekhyun started asking but Yeol was already licking his erection, cutting him off again, making Baekhyun bit his lips, fingers gently gripping in Yeol’s hair.

“You should be illegal, Yeol” Baekhyun whispered, earning himself a smirk from Chanyeol that leant down, taking all Baekhyun’s shaft in his mouth.

Baekhyun bit harder on his lips, stare not moving from Yeol and how his fingers were delicate on his thighs, his lips nicely stretched around his shaft, slowly starting a movement, tongue swirling around it, covering it better with saliva.

Yeol spread Baekhyun’s legs wider, fingers gently reaching for his balls, massaging them, making Baekhyun groan lowly in pleasure, gripping again harder in Yeol’s hair.

Baekhyun bit again his lips, trying to restrain his own movement in Yeol’s mouth even if he was so tempted to thrust in, so hot and so wet, literally asking him to do it.

Yeol though, wasn’t exactly fine with it.

He pulled out, frowning.

“You can let yourself go, Baek… You know that I like it when you do it” Yeol commented softly, lips pink and stained with Baekhyun’s precum.

“Sure that it’s fine for you?” Baekhyun asked him briefly and Yeol nodded without even letting him finish the sentence, fingers gently playing with Baekhyun’s precum on the tip of his shaft.

Baekhyun bit his lips softly, nodding toward Yeol who leant down again, taking Baekhyun’s erection in his mouth again, sucking it shortly.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, resting his back against the couch, fingers carding again Yeol’s hair, simply enjoying the sensations.

Yeol’s mouth was hot and wet and his tongue was working miracles on Baekhyun, so much that he started to meet Yeol’s movements on it with deeper thrusts, feeling again Yeol’s fingers on his ball, squeezing and massaging them.

Baekhyun liked every second of it, tugging at Yeol’s hair, making him hum and moan around his erection, stare not leaving Baekhyun’s.

“You like this so much, _big boy_?” Baekhyun asked him, hiding another groan and thrusting deeper in Chanyeol’s mouth, making him hum again, deeper, making the sound resound on Baekhyun’s shaft making him moan deeply.

“You are fucking sexy, kneeling down between my legs and sucking me off…” Baekhyun breathed, voice wavering in pleasure.

Yeol quickened his pace on Baekhyun’s erection, making him moan louder, tugging his hair and simply letting himself go to his release.

“Pull away… I’m coming” Baekhyun groaned, trying to delay the orgasm, letting Yeol the time to pull away, but Yeol sucked him harder, making Baekhyun cry in pleasure, thrusting deeper inside Yeol’s mouth, coming without any other notice, hot and thickly on Yeol’s tongue.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, simply enjoying Yeol’s mouth and tongue still on him, slowing down gently before popping out, cleaning his mouth with the back of his hand.

“You taste… spicy. What did you have for dinner tonight?” he asked him briefly and Baekhyun chuckled softly, picking up a cigarette from his packet and placing it between his lips, hands reaching also for the lighter.

“Tteokbokki, the one you made yesterday” Baekhyun replied, lightening up his cigarette and Chanyeol snorted, shaking his head.

“Was it this spicy?” he asked him briefly sitting up again, near Baekhyun and Baekhyun placed the cigarette between his lips again, sitting up only to remove his boxer before sitting on Yeol’s laps.

Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity, not expecting Baekhyun’s actions, but his hands went immediately on Baekhyun’s sides.

“You are… so sexy” Yeol whispered, fingers drawing circles on Baekhyun’s sides, making him hum softly, fingers going to pick up his cigarette between his lips, dragging longer.

“Tell me you are not. So stunning after sucking me up…” he started saying before carding his fingers in Yeol’s hair, making him close his eyes in appreciation of the small gesture.

Baekhyun dragged again on his cigarette before puffing out the smoke toward the ceiling, before leaning in and slowly kissing Yeol on his lips.

It was slow, tasting like smoke and Baekhyun’s cum aftertaste still on Yeol’s lips and tongue.

“I want you, Baek” Yeol breathed arms circling his side and pulling him near, making Baekhyun’s erection grind against Yeol’s still clothed one, earning a small moan from both of them.

Baekhyun chuckled shortly leaning down again placing a peck on Yeol’s nose before dragging longer on his cigarette and stretching toward the ashtray to press it down there.

“What are you waiting then? Take me” Baekhyun whispered softly, leaning down again, almost meeting Yeol’s lips with his.

Since _that_ started, Baekhyun came to know that with Yeol sex was interesting on both sides.

Even after years of simply being the giving end of his one-night stands, Baekhyun found pleasant even being the receiving end with Yeol.

Yeol was… great and their understanding and harmony showed even more when they were having sex.

They didn’t need words being a gesture or a stare worth more than everything else.

Yeol bit his own lips, eyes searching in Baekhyun’s, curious, attentive… excited.

“Are you really fine if I hold you tonight?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded briefly.

“Why not? It’s a while since last time you did…” Baekhyun commented, fingers carding through his hair and caressing him softly, especially behind his ears and down his nape, where Yeol liked it.

“Because usually I like it better when you do” Yeol breathed softly, closing his eyes, simply enjoying Baekhyun’s fingers in his hair.

“Do you want me to, then? You know I…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol shook his head immediately, without opening his eyes.

“I want you… I want to be inside you. I want to hear you moan and ask for more” Yeol whispered, fingers moving to caress Baekhyun’s thighs, gently, slowly up and down, making Baekhyun shiver at the idea, because he wanted those same things too.

“Not here, though. It’s late and this couch is creaking and everything but comfortable to have sex onto. Let’s go to bed and let’s enjoy the rest of this moment” Baekhyun whispered before pressing his lips softly on Yeol’s.

And he was about to sit up, when Yeol’s arms circled his waist, pulling him near.

“Let’s go” he concluded picking him up, much to Baekhyun’s surprise, who circled his arms around Yeol’s neck.

“Ah, big boy, next time maybe if you tell me…” Baekhyun started but Yeol softly bit his neck, making Baekhyun groan, fingers carding again in Yeol’s hair, pulling him near.

“Don’t be so gentle with me” he breathed and Yeol bit him harder, sucking a hickey, before moving toward the bedroom, dropping Baekhyun on the bed.

“You make me crazy” Yeol whispered, biting him again on the neck, making Baekhyun grip harder on his hair, pulling him near, groaning lowly.

“You do, Yeol. Never had better sex than what I have with you” Baekhyun breathed, inserting his hands beneath Yeol’s t-shirt, caressing his abs and sides, making him shiver, skin exploding in goosebumps.

“Indeed our… chemistry is pretty good” Yeol stated, hands exploring beneath Baekhyun’s hoodie, caressing his sides and up to his nipples, gently flicking them, earning himself a low groan and another pull of his hair.

“Only good?” Baekhyun asked him, making him chuckle against Baekhyun’s neck before biting him again.

“The best I’ve ever had?” Yeol retorted immediately, making Baekhyun snort shortly.

“You shouldn’t tell lies either, you know?” he added but Yeol bit him again, this time even harder, making Baekhyun grip harder in his hair, pulling him nearer, moaning lowly.

“What do you know? Don’t act all high and mighty just because we have seven years difference” Yeol growled against his neck making Baekhyun chuckle again.

“Because you want to tell me that I’m the best you ever had” Baekhyun added and Yeol gently licked his neck where he just bit him, making him shiver briefly at the sensation.

“Why not? Sex with you is… heavenly” Yeol whispered softly, placing kisses on his neck, making Baekhyun close his eyes in appreciation, even if he had to tell that he was mildly… _pleased_ about Yeol considering things like that.

Because for Baekhyun it was exactly the same.

That attraction, that chemistry, that perfect synchronicity that he found with him and no one else apart from him.

“What are you waiting for then? Take me” Baekhyun whispered pulling his hair, placing again his lips on Yeol’s.

Yeol kissed him slowly, gently pressing his tongue in Baekhyun’s mouth.

Baekhyun hummed softly, letting him in, pulling him nearer, feeling Yeol’s fingers gripping harder on his sides.

“Yeol…” Baekhyun breathed and there was something perfect in that moment like anything else was necessary, apart from Yeol’s lips on his and his hands on Baekhyun’s sides.

“I’ll satisfy all your desires, Baek… just tell me what you want” Yeol muttered near his ear, tongue gently playing with Baekhyun’s piercing.

Baekhyun closed his eyes, gripping again on Yeol’s hair, biting his lips before exhaling deeply.

“Since it’s the first time in a while, we can do how you prefer…” he started saying but Yeol bit harder on his ear, tongue still teasing his piercing, making it roll and pull it between his lips.

“You decide. We are different and what I like when you hold me, is surely different compared to what you want when I hold you” Yeol whispered, fingers moving up to Baekhyun’s torso and pulling out both his hoodie and his t-shirt, with Baekhyun’s help.

“Still…” Baekhyun tried to say but Yeol’s lips and teeth were immediately on his collarbones biting and nibbling him.

“From behind? Want to ride me?” Yeol asked him again and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“It’s not good asking the…” he started saying and Yeol pushed a finger on his lips.

“I swear to all heavens, Baek, that if you are about to say _the elder_ I’ll slap you” he stated, making Baekhyun chuckle again this time louder.

“Uh, kinky” he commented immediately and Yeol snorted, looking at him in the eyes.

“Do you want me to slap you for real?” he asked but his tone was joking and not serious at all.

Baekhyun laughed even louder, shaking his head, rolling on his side, shaking his head.

“I’m too old for this, Yeol…” he breathed but Yeol shook his head, kissing his shoulder.

“Will you ever stop saying you are too old?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun opened his mouth to reply but Yeol shook his head.

“No, wait. I don’t want to hear your reply… I’m already expecting another idiocy on you being old” he stopped him immediately, making Baekhyun snort shortly.

“Ah, you know me so well” he breathed but Yeol was already leaning down, kissing again his shoulder and then down his nape, on his shoulder blades.

Baekhyun couldn’t hide a shiver, letting himself go a bit to Yeol’s ministrations on his back.

“Your back is so sensitive…” Yeol commented, fingers caressing his back slowly, almost imperceptibly with his fingertips, making Baekhyun bit his lips.

“I don’t mind from behind if you are up to it” Baekhyun finally let out and Yeol nodded shortly near his shoulder, placing another soft kiss there.

He stretched toward the nightstand picking up a small bottle of lube before sitting on his knees behind Baekhyun, gently slapping his ass.

“Keep it up for me, will ya?” he stated shortly, amusement present in his voice and Baekhyun snorted shortly fixing his position, slightly raising his back toward Yeol who caressed softly his back and side before leaning down and kiss Baekhyun’s tailbone.

“In few hours your alarm will be ringing, so I would leave the slow and foreplays for another time” Yeol stated shortly, fingers caressing Baekhyun’s curves and Baekhyun groaned lowly, shaking his head.

“Ah, way to kill the mood, _big boy_. Thank you for reminding me that in less than three hours I have to exit and open the shop” he breathed, even though it wasn’t exactly true that he _killed the mood_.

Baekhyun was perfectly fine with a bit of rough sex, no foreplays no other things.

“Oh, shut up… you know better than me. And don’t feign yourself old again” Yeol stated, opening the cap of the lube, Baekhyun clearly hearing the sound of it.

In few seconds he felt Yeol gripping harder on his buttocks, spreading them wider, lubed fingers nearing his entrance and circling it.

He bit his lips at the cold sensation, but Yeol’s fingers were warm so it was just an instant, lube immediately warming up on his sensible skin.

“It seems ages since last time I held you…” Yeol whispered, gently inserting the first finger and making Baekhyun groan, fingers slightly gripping on the duvet beneath him.

“Come on, ages? What was it… ten days ago?” Baekhyun asked him back, enjoying the stretch inside him and Yeol’s finger inside him.

Yeol chuckled shortly, leaning down and starting to kiss again Baekhyun’s nape and shoulders softly, making him shiver again, pressing against the insertion.

“Well, I missed it. Even though usually I like it better the contrary” he breathed, biting Baekhyun’s shoulder blade, making him arch his back, welcoming even better Yeol’s finger inside himself.

Yeol pressed in another digit, making Baekhyun groan lower, pressing against the insertion.

“Tomorrow night…” Baekhyun breathed, voice tinted by pleasure, enjoying the stretch more than he would ever admit with words.

“If nothing happens, let me do it for you. Maybe with a bit more of time so that I can…” he continued and Yeol inserted another fingers, starting a slow thrust movement inside him, making him moan loudly, fingers gripping harder on the blankets under him, leaning his head on the mattress, focusing on his words.

“Take my time with you” he finally let out, starting to move against Yeol’s insertion, enjoying the stretch, the friction, the wetness and the warmth of Yeol’s fingers inside himself.

Yeol bit his nape harder, thrusting deeper, starting to set a pace, making Baekhyun groan deeper.

“I don’t think this is what you wanted to say, right?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head, trying to resist to that pleasure, just to think straight few minutes more.

“Oh, no… definitely no…” Baekhyun whispered and Yeol bit him again, thrusting deeper inside him, hitting his prostate, making Baekhyun arch his back, pressing against Yeol’s fingers, taking every single inch of them inside himself.

“Eat you open, Yeol. I want to… and I know that you like it when I do it” he finally let out, hearing Yeol groan too, biting shortly his nape again, sucking a hickey there, making Baekhyun moan louder.

“Oh, I do. I do a lot… And I think you are sufficiently stretched here. May I?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded briefly, no other words needed, want and pleasure simply being at the first place of both their thoughts.

Yeol fingered him slowly, leisurely, probably pushing down his own boxer in the meantime, tugging his erection too.

Baekhyun closed his eyes, inhaling shortly, and he wanted that so bad because he knew how much Yeol knew about him, what he liked, _how_ he liked it.

“I would go without, is it okay?” Yeol breathed, finally pulling out his fingers from Baekhyun, making him groan in displeasure at the lack.

“Take me already, Yeol” he almost ordered in reply and Yeol simply agreed with it, thrusting his erection inside Baekhyun without any forenotice.

Baekhyun moaned lowly, arching his back trying to take in as much as possible, feeling the stretch, throwing back his head.

“Full” he breathed, biting his lips and Yeol leant down starting to kiss his nape and shoulders, hands gripping on his sides, tentatively starting to move inside him.

Baekhyun hummed in pleasure, adjusting to Yeol’s slow pace, pressing against the insertion.

“You are taking me so well, Baek” Yeol let out softly, biting his shoulder and slightly quickening the pace, hands still gripping on his sides, making Baekhyun moan this time louder, letting himself go to all those sensations.

“And you are so hard… missed this too” he breathed between the moans, gripping harder on the blankets and adapting to Yeol’s quicker pace inside himself.

“Whose fault do you think it is?” Yeol asked him biting him again on his nape and Baekhyun moaned louder, arching his back and allowing Yeol to thrust even deeper inside him, making him bit his lips, trying not to let his voice out too much.

“Ah, Yeol, more” he breathed, mind starting to get numbed by the pleasure and feeling Yeol’s hands gripping harder on his sides, thrusting faster and deeper inside him.

Out of the blue, in the silence of the house filled only with their moans and groans, Baekhyun’s phone went off in the other room, ringing loudly and startling them both.

“Let it ring” Baekhyun groaned and Yeol hummed, biting him on his nape, restarting his pace.

However, when Baekhyun’s phone stopped ringing, Yeol’s one started, on the nightstand.

“Don’t you dare…” Baekhyun breathed but Yeol bit him again stretching to take the phone in his hand.

“Baek, is Myeon… It’s not like I can’t reply” he retorted immediately, slowing down his pace again, to something almost there, barely thrusting, much to Baekhyun’s displeasure who huffed shortly in annoyance.

“Myeon, everything’s fine? It’s… early” Yeol stated picking up the call and listening to what Myeon was saying.

Baekhyun stilled, biting his lips and listened to what was happening.

“Oh, no… sure. Tomorrow if you want. Yes…” Yeol said again and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

Nothing serious apparently.

So nothing that could interrupt their intercourse any longer.

Baekhyun took advantage of Yeol’s being busy in the call and not gripping on his sides anymore to move away, much to Yeol’s displeasure too, making him hide a groan when Baekhyun moved away, freeing Yeol’s erection.

But it wasn’t for too much.

Baekhyun turned around pressing his hands on Yeol’s shoulders, making him sit, eyes getting wider in perplexity, before Baekhyun could sit again on his laps, finger carding through his hair, pulling it back.

“No, yeah, tomorrow if you can…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun’s fingers reached for Yeol’s erection gently stroking it, before he could move closer to Yeol, bottoming out without any forenotice, making Yeol distancing his phone from them, biting Baekhyun’s shoulders to hide a loud moan.

“So you can do both” Baekhyun replied softly, smirk playfully opening on his lips, making Yeol stare at him in awe and wonder, like he never saw something more beautiful.

“You will be my death” Yeol breathed nearing again the phone to his ear.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry I’m here. It’s just that… it’s not exactly a good moment right now” Yeol stated at the phone and Baekhyun smirked again toward him, starting to move on his laps, fingers gripping harder on his shoulders, making Yeol bit his lips, hands caressing Baekhyun’s sides slowly following Baekhyun’s pace on him.

“N-No, it’s not like you disturb me. It’s just that I was…” Yeol started saying again at the phone and Baekhyun started a faster pace, rolling his hips to meet better Yeol’s erection, welcoming it inside him deeper.

Yeol’s hand gripped harder on his side and he bit his lips, eyes looking at Baekhyun leisurely, slowly and sexily ride him.

“Myeon, in three hours I have to wake up to pick Baekhyun up. So… mind if I sleep a bit more and we see in three hours more or less?” he finally asked toward the phone and when the reply came, he nodded shortly.

Baekhyun leant in, starting to kiss, lick and bite his ear, forcing a faster pace on Yeol who bit his lips harder.

“Yeah, thanks. Goodnight” Yeol concluded before closing the call and throwing his phone in the middle of the bed, immediately moving his lips on Baekhyun’s neck.

“What the hell, Baek?” he breathed even if there wasn’t any anger in his question.

“Tired of waiting. I want to feel you coming inside me” Baekhyun let out shortly, making Yeol’s eyes go wider in surprise, nodding immediately.

“Let yourself go, then. Show me how much you want it” Yeol whispered hands gripping on Baekhyun’s buttocks, making him hide a low groan.

And without any other words, Baekhyun restarted his pace on him, this time without taking it slow, simply enjoying Yeol’s erection inside him, riding him with the needed abandonment.

“You look stunning” Yeol breathed, biting his neck and helping him move on his laps, sustaining his thighs and making the pace faster than before.

“Ah, Yeol, more” Baekhyun breathed, fingers carding through Yeol’s hair and pulling, making them even closer than before.

He met his lips with Yeol’s like it was the most natural thing ever.

Like both of them was meant to live that moment.

Yeol met Baekhyun’s movements on him with thrusts, finally hitting him again on the prostate, making him cry in pleasure, arching his back, exposing more his neck, much to Yeol’s pleasure that started biting him there.

“Ah… C-Chanyeol” Baekhyun moaned lower, pulling him near and Yeol suddenly came inside him, moaning his name, biting his neck, making Baekhyun yip at the sensation and coming too, pleasure too overwhelming in that moment, hard, hot and thick between them, panting and seeing stars and white lights behind his eyes.

He was panting, forehead leaning on Yeol’s shoulder, simply enjoying his high and the bliss deriving from his come.

“You are the best” Yeol breathed at his ear, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“Am not” he whispered, biting his lips and unwillingly sitting up, hissing shortly at the friction.

“Baek?” Yeol called him but Baekhyun smirked at him before turning around and going toward the bathroom.

It wasn’t rare that Baekhyun called Yeol with his real name.

Especially when they had sex.

He said that he liked it better.

But it was the first time that Yeol came _immediately after_ Baekhyun called like that.

Did it mean something or Baekhyun was thinking too much into it?

He forced a smile on his lips when Yeol entered the bathroom few instants after him.

“You okay?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Come in the shower with me?” he proposed him and Yeol simple nodded, stare not leaving Baekhyun’s face, but not asking anything more.

“Don’t look at me like that. I told you, I’m old and geezers have their own weirdness” he concluded, taking his hand and pulling Yeol with him under the shower.

Whatever happened, it was Baekhyun thinking too much into it.

Nothing more, nothing less.

They were two strangers having sex just because it felt great and they had a good physical chemistry.

And that would be until the end of that story.

Realization hit Baekhyun harder than expected.

Yeol wouldn’t be in his life forever.

It was a … short something due to Baekhyun’s life being in danger.

One day, all of that, whatever it was, it wouldn’t be anymore.

Time passed slowly between _tasks_ , always more frequent that Myeon asked him, and tending the shop, a work that Baekhyun missed always more.

The freedom of working in his studio without having to think about anything else, alone, humming old gone songs.

Not that he minded Yeol’s presence, at all, he became a component so present in his life that he almost didn’t remember how it was when he wasn’t around.

Especially because, despite it being only sex and them being seven years apart, Baekhyun grew _fond_ of Yeol.

There was something of the man that make him want to spoil him, to take care of him even when it was clear that it wasn’t needed at all and Yeol was there to protect him, not the contrary.

That afternoon, he was sitting inside his shop, smoking in silence while working at a small project he was working on ever since he found that garnet in Yixing’s safe and that it reminded him so much of Yeol.

It was a peaceful afternoon, like few before it.

No customers, no people making noises in the shop only him, Jondae and Xiumin.

_Wait._

Baekhyun frowned shortly raising his head.

Yeol wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

He sat up perplexed, exiting the studio, cigarette still between his lips.

There were only Jondae and Xiumin, indeed.

“Baek?” Jondae called him and Baekhyun frowned shortly, stare shifting toward Xiumin.

“Did you see Yeol?” he asked him and Xiumin nodded shortly, smiling at him.

“Myeon called him. He should be back soon. No more than one hour, he told me going away” he replied, smile not leaving his lips.

Baekhyun hummed in thought, leaning on the jamb of the door, observing.

It could be a nice moment to investigate about whatever _wasn’t_ happening between Jondae and Xiumin, seeing that nothing changed and Jondae was still clearly interested in the shorter man.

“Xiumin is your real name?” Baekhyun asked out of the blue and Xiumin shook his head.

“No, it’s Kim Minseok” he replied smiling at him softly, but Baekhyun frowned shortly at the _surname_ mention.

“Oh, wasn’t it a secret your surname? Like agency policy or stuff like that?” Baekhyun whispered, trying to sound disinterested but still perplexed by it.

Xiumin chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Nah, we use codenames just because it’s easier when we are on tasks or if we are in the streets and we don’t want other to know our real names. Myeon told you so?” he retorted back and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, dragging longer on his cigarette before nearing the counter where Jondae was to press the cigarette down in the ashtray.

“So also _Myeon_ has a real name” Baekhyun continued and Xiumin nodded shortly.

“Yeah, it’s Kim Junmyeon. And Hun too… it’s Oh Sehun” Xiumin started explaining softly, counting them on his fingers.

And even before Baekhyun could actually ask him, Xiumin added a short “and I don’t know if Yeol told you, but his name is Chanyeol. Park Chanyeol”, and Baekhyun felt a cold shiver down his back.

_Park?_

He replayed it at least ten times in his head.

Park as…

He bit his lips softly, lighting himself another cigarette.

Wait.

Park was one of the most common surnames in South Korea and even abroad.

It was… a coincidence.

For sure.

But in his head a lot of gears already started to turn.

Because Baekhyun wasn’t able not to think.

His life was made of big thinking before acting, plan before act.

Park Family was… the same family he stole the blue diamond from.

Was it really a coincidence that after all those years someone was looking for it again and another coincidence that a _Park_ man was assigned to protect him?

And Yeol was part of that family or not?

Did he know about the diamond?

Was that the real reason why Yeol was always around?

“Baek?” Jondae called him and even before he could say that there wasn’t any problem and that he was simply lost in thought, from the main entrance Yeol entered, wearing formal clothes, a black suit over a white shirt.

Their stares met but Baekhyun shifted it away walking back in the studio, dragging longer on his cigarette, almost finishing it.

“We have a problem” Yeol stated from the doorway and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Which?” he replied, turning around, this time sustaining his stare.

“Two other murders. Always for your jewels” he stated giving Baekhyun two pics and Baekhyun recognized the women in the pics and their jewels too.

“Your boss has no information about it?” Baekhyun asked him and when Yeol shook his head, Baekhyun sighed, using his cigarette to light up another one, closing his eyes in thought.

Admittingly that the reason, as Jondae stated, was really the blue diamond, who would have wanted it?

Who could have known that Baekhyun still had it?

That Baekhyun didn’t sell it, transformed it, hid it, gave it to the police when arrested or exchanged it for something else while he was in jail?

How much power did whoever was behind it have?

Because Baekhyun couldn’t think at a single person.

It had to be something organized and…

He clicked his tongue, dragging longer on his cigarette before shaking his head.

He hated that situation.

Hated it.

But he didn’t want other persons to die for his fault.

Even before Yeol could ask him something, Baekhyun rested his cigarette between his lips and picked up his phone from his pockets, composing a too well known number.

“Ah, Jongin-ha, it’s a while. How are you?” Baekhyun asked at the phone when a sleepy male voice replied him.

“ _Hyung_? Is that you?” the man retorted still numbed by sleep and when Baekhyun confirmed, he cheered on the other side.

Kim Jongin was a trustworthy policeman who helped Baekhyun in the past a lot.

“Sorry to bother you, you were resting?” Baekhyun asked him but on the other side there was a rustling sound and then sound of cups moving.

“No, no… just fell asleep while trying to figure out things” he replied shortly and Baekhyun hummed in thought, taking another breath of smoke before puffing it out toward the ceiling.

“Something hard you are working to?” Baekhyun inquired briefly and Jongin sighed deeply.

“Murders. With no apparent connection between them” he explained, clinking sounds coming from the phone, making Baekhyun frown.

“Oh… that sucks. Something I can help you with?” Baekhyun continued pressing his cigarette in the ashtray and Jongin hummed shortly.

“I don’t know… maybe?” he whispered sighing even deeper and Baekhyun let out a short chuckle.

“See you in fifteen minutes? It won’t be that bad be in a police station once again” he proposed, amused and making Jongin chuckle too, thanking him and closing the call.

“ _Police station_?” Yeol inquired, frowning deeply, and Baekhyun nodded shortly, humming softly.

“Jongin-ha is a policeman and he’s investigating on something. I want to know if it’s our same thing and if he knows information that we don’t” he explained, picking up his jacket from the coat rack near the door.

And even without waiting for Yeol’s reply, he walked back in the shop.

“Let’s wrap up for today. There are some commissions I have to do” he stated and Jondae nodded frowning, sitting up and closing the register and the cashier.

“Go home and don’t exit for nothing in this world” Baekhyun added, making Jondae frowning even deeper, shaking his head.

“Baek…” he started saying but Baekhyun caressed his cheek gently.

“Do you trust me?” he asked him and Jondae’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could nod shortly.

“Perfect. Go home and stay there with Xiumin until I won’t be back, okay?” he concluded and Jondae nodded briefly, even if he wasn’t exactly happy nor supportive of that decision.

Baekhyun forced a small smile toward him.

He didn’t like the police station where Jongin worked.

It was the same he was in for three day before the process and before being sent to jail.

However, he was sure that Jongin was working on their same murders.

And maybe he knew something more, different.

He couldn’t tell Jondae that he was going there though.

Jondae would have stopped him, knowing how much Baekhyun hated that place and hated police.

Instead he simply smiled, closing the shop up after everyone exited, waiving Jondae off when he went away with Xiumin.

“Why keeping it secret from him?” Yeol asked him gesturing toward the car and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

As if it wasn’t sufficient, Baekhyun had also _that_ problem.

Yeol was from _that Park family_ or it really was just a coincidence?

“Dae is… scared about everything. And are you really coming with me? Aren’t you part of a mafia gang?” he asked him, arching his eyebrow in perplexity, observing him.

Yeol let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“I can drive you there and waiting for you in the parking” he replied shortly and Baekhyun snorted before picking up another cigarette, lightening it up.

The drive there was… silent.

Baekhyun was lost in his thoughts and didn’t even try to force some kind of talk with him.

Once they arrived there, though, Yeol took his hand shortly, slightly gripping on it.

“Call me if something happens. _Whatever it is_ ” he stated and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head, slightly patting on his own back, where his gun was.

“I have this with me, no worries” he whispered but Yeol surprised him, leaning in and kissing him softly on his lips, just a short, small peck.

“Whatever it is” he repeated and Baekhyun inhaled deeply nodding.

“I’ll call you” he concluded before exiting the car and walking inside the big cream-colored building.

He hated the scent that there was inside, probably some ambient deodorant or something like that.

At the reception he stated that he wanted to speak with Jongin, and the lady went to call him.

While he was waiting Baekhyun took his phone from his trousers and googled _Park Chanyeol_ , biting his lips and wondering why he didn’t smoke another cigarette before entering in there, where there was a _no smoking_ sign at every corner.

When the first results came up, Baekhyun groaned lowly in displeasure.

Yeol, or better Park _fucking_ Chanyeol, was exactly _that_ Park’s grandson.

He wanted to facepalm so bad.

Did Myeon know about it?

Was a decision taken that back?

Yeol proposed himself for that role or…?

No it couldn’t be.

Because at the very start, Yeol refused himself to go with Baekhyun and protect him during their first mission together.

Baekhyun carded his fingers through his hair, shaking his head.

That matter urged solutions.

Before it was too late.

“ _Hyung_ , you look tired” Jongin greeted him and Baekhyun raised his stare, locking his phone and making it disappear in his pockets.

In front of him there was Kim Jongin in all his brightness.

Platinum blonde hair, slender built, sparkling smile.

“Yo” Baekhyun greeted him, smiling at him and Jongin nodded toward him starting to walk toward his office, followed by Baekhyun.

They sat down together and Jongin pushed toward him a yellow paper clear file that Baekhyun picked up.

He opened it, looking at the exact pictures that Myeon showed him at the beginning and the one that Yeol brought him that afternoon.

So… same case.

Baekhyun frowned shortly, though, because there weren’t only pictures but also reports and coroner detailed autopsy.

“Is it okay for me too see this?” Baekhyun asked him and Jongin shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m so in the shit with this case already, _hyung_. And mayor wants it closed as soon as possible. I don’t even know what it’s happening how can I close this?” he stated, shaking his head and making Baekhyun bit his lips shortly, shaking his head, but his eyes were already reading the reports.

Victims were all strangled.

Totally not Yeol’s style so it was out of suspects.

And neither Xiumin, as much as Baekhyun knew.

Hun was known for using knives so… out too.

Yixing wasn’t either, because he would have simply shot them and Yixing didn’t want Baekhyun’s diamond in the first place.

Baekhyun was sure about it, because Yixing once told him that he was sure that Baekhyun re-sold it.

Untrue, but that put Yixing out of games too.

Russian then?

Or other Park family members?

Who other could be looking for that diamond after all those years?

But then a small detail piqued his interest.

They were all killed in yacht parties.

Different boats, organized by different persons, in different part of Incheon bay but… boat parties.

Baekhyun hummed shortly, fingers carding through his hair.

“Can I smoke?” he asked toward Jongin who inhaled briefly before pulling out an ashtray from one of his drawers and putting it on his table.

“Only if you speak. I can see the gears moving in your head” he stated and Baekhyun nodded shortly, lighting up a cigarette and leaning his back better on the chair where he was sitting.

“Hypothetically speaking…” he started saying and Jongin was already frowning.

“ _Hypothetically_ , yeah” he echoed and Baekhyun snorted, nodding, dragging longer on the cigarette.

“All on yachts? Was my first question” Baekhyun breathed puffing out some smoke and Jongin nodded shortly.

“They have all the same owner if you want to know” he stated, hinting with his head toward the end of the page that Baekhyun was reading.

Igor Vasiliev.

Baekhyun did his best not to show any emotions at that information but that meant that his suspects were founded.

The Russians wanted that diamond even if Baekhyun didn’t know why.

Or how they knew that Baekhyun still had it.

“Oh, you did a better job than expected” Baekhyun stated chuckling and Jongin snorted, shaking his head.

“I’m not the first idiot around, you know?” he retorted and Baekhyun nodded briefly.

“I know, I know… I still remember when you arrested me, so yeah” he stated but Jongin shrugged his shoulders.

“There was nothing there. You called me telling me that you robbed in Park mansion and killed old man Park just because he tried to kill you” he stated and Baekhyun chuckled softly, smiling toward him before pressing his cigarette in the ashtray.

“Do you still have that diamond? It’s the only thing that didn’t come back after the robbery…” Jongin asked him and Baekhyun shook his head.

“I gave it away a lot of years ago. Too dangerous to keep it with me, no?” he replied nodding shorty, lighting himself another cigarette and Jongin nodded back too.

“So, yachts apart, does it tell you something?” he asked him and Baekhyun hummed softly, dragging again on his cigarette.

It wouldn’t be worth lying.

Jongin would know about the jewels and about them being Baekhyun’s.

“These jewels… are made by me” he stated and Jongin frowned shortly, interested.

“What…?” he started saying but Baekhyun moved his stare on Jongin’s.

“I made them. I personally knew these women because they came to me, or at least their partners did, and commissioned me jewels” he explained better, before lighting himself another cigarette with the end of the previous one, before pressing the butt on the ashtray.

“Ah, shit” Jongin stated shaking his head, making a small gesture toward Baekhyun.

“Give me one of those too” he stated and Baekhyun chuckled puffing out some smoke before giving one cigarette to Jongin and lighted it up for him.

They smoked in silence for few minutes before Jongin started to speak up.

“So… That Igor guy and your jewels. Do you know him maybe?” Jongin asked him but Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“No, it seems some… Russian name though? Maybe they are trying to export some jewels on Korean market?” Baekhyun tried shrugging his shoulders and in his pocket his phone went off, reclaiming his attentions.

“Sorry” Baekhyun stated putting the cigarette between his lips and picking up his phone, Yeol’s ID blinking on the screen.

“Yeah?” he asked picking up the call and on the other side there was a low chuckle.

“Still inside?” he retorted and Baekhyun hummed briefly.

“Yeah. But I won’t be late no worries, few minutes more” he replied forcing a short smile, trying to sound convincing even if hearing Yeol made him think again about Park and he wanted to slap himself again.

“Wait for you” Yeol concluded hanging up and Baekhyun smiled toward Jongin.

“Sorry, it’s just that I had an appointment” Baekhyun whispered and Jongin nodded briefly.

“If you… hear about something related to this Russian guy or in the jewel market, will you let me know?” Jongin asked him and Baekhyun nodded shorty, sitting up.

“Sure, count on me” Baekhyun stated, smiling briefly and he was almost with his hand on the door when he turned around toward Jongin.

“As a personal favor, can I ask you something?” he asked him briefly and Jongin frowned before pressing the cigarette in the ashtray and nodding toward him, clearly inviting him to speak up.

“Chanyeol… Park Chanyeol, do you know anything about him?” he asked him again and Jongin frowned deeply.

“Don’t start messing up with Park again, _hyung_ ” he started saying but when Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shaking his head more than decided to go away, Jongin sat up turning around the desk, taking his wrist, preventing him to exit.

“I know only that he barely has relationship with Park Family because he ran away from home when he was barely legal age” Jongin added and Baekhyun hummed shortly and even before he could reply something, Jongin stopped.

“And that he’s part of something illegal at the moment, some… mafia gang I think even though I can’t prove anything of this” Jongin continued making Baekhyun feign surprise.

“A mafia gang?” he retorted, perplexed and Jongin nodded shortly, frowning.

“So be careful, _hyung_. I don’t know what’s happening in your life, but I wouldn’t want to investigate in your murder case” he stated seriously, making Baekhyun sigh deeply.

“No worries, I’ll do my best” he concluded, thanking him and walking away.

He picked up his phone and re-dialed Yeol’s number.

Yeol replied at the first ring, making Baekhyun frown.

“Were you sitting on the phone?” he asked him shortly, making Yeol chuckle softly, probably shaking his head.

“Nope, just waiting for you here. I’m boring myself to death…” Yeol replied briefly and… was there a sort of spinning sound in the background.

“I… don’t know what are you doing, but move from the parking. Let’s _casually_ meet in the Starbucks around the corner, okay?” he whispered when he exited the police station, putting on his sunglasses and Yeol turned immediately the engine on, tone becoming suddenly serious.

“Something happened?” he asked him and Baekhyun hummed briefly.

“I don’t know yet… Meet me there?” he retorted and Yeol replied positively, making Baekhyun thank him before closing the call.

He walked slowly toward the exit, seeing Yeol’s car passing by and turning around the corner.

Baekhyun walked until Starbuck where Yeol was already sitting gesturing him to sit down with him.

“You already ordered?” Baekhyun asked him perplexed, frowning shortly and Yeol beamed at him, gently pushing the plastic cup toward Baekhyun who sniffed it, recognizing the aroma of black coffee.

“Ice Americano?” Yeol whispered toward him and Baekhyun smiled softly picking up the cup and sipping on it.

“What did you take?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol pushed his own cup toward Baekhyun who sniffed softly again, scrunching his nose at the sweet strawberry scent.

“Too sweet” he commented making Yeol chuckle softly, shaking his head, before he could go serious again.

“What happened inside there?” Yeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, leaning his back against his chair.

“They were all killed on yachts, Yeol. And they are owned by our friend Igor” Baekhyun whispered in reply making Yeol’s eyes go wider in perplexity.

“So… the Russians are trying to kill you?” he asked back and Baekhyun sipped on his coffee pensively.

“This… I don’t know. But it’s not a coincidence” he replied shortly, stare moving toward Yeol and sighing deeply.

_Like it’s not a coincidence that you are here_ – he thought briefly, knowing that he couldn’t let out that thought even though he wanted to ask so bad to Yeol if he was there to kill him, for the diamond, for… what reason?

He simply smiled briefly, shaking his head, emptying the cup and nodding toward Yeol.

“News from Myeon? Weren’t we waiting for orders?” he asked him, making Yeol smirk, shaking his head too.

“Are you starting to speak like us?” he retorted and Baekhyun checked the bottom of his cup to see if there was more coffee, but without any luck.

“Maybe we are together too much?” Baekhyun asked back at him to which Yeol chuckled shaking his head.

“Told ya. It’s never _too much_ ” he replied and even before Baekhyun could say something, he picked his phone out of his jacket, showing it to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun took it, question already on his lips.

“Why are you dressed this formal, by the way?” he asked him even if when his stare moved on Yeol’s phone screen, his eyes went wider in perplexity.

There were two tickets.

For a flight.

To Japan.

Osaka.

“What?” Baekhyun let out unbelieving and Yeol inhaled deeply.

“Our next _order_. There’s an important meeting that Myeon want us to attend” he stated and Baekhyun frowned even deeper.

“Attend? For which reason? I’m… a jeweler, nothing more, Yeol. What does he expect me to…?” he started saying but Yeol shook his head briefly, emptying his strawberry mocha.

“You are not only a _simple jeweler_. Remember it. Myeon egoistically only see that. He’s… interested in people for what they can do for him and you have… limitless potentialities or so it seems” Yeol commented and for the first time ever, Baekhyun heard him say something negative on Myeon.

“I…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol smiled briefly at him.

“I’ll be there too. You don’t have to fear anything” he whispered, finally pushing toward him a clear file that Baekhyun discreetly opened, finding inside details about what they had to do and what Baekhyun had to steal.

Because this was the whole matter about.

It was a about a small silver case containing heavens knew what.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply.

Five days outside Seoul.

Outside _South Korea_.

With Yeol only.

How… trusty was the situation?

Especially knowing _who_ Yeol really was?

However, when Baekhyun raised his stare from the clear file to refuse that work because there was no way he was going to Japan alone with Yeol for that much time, Yeol simply smiled softly at him, like he did every time Baekhyun showed him something new he was working on, when Baekhyun ruffled his hair after the shower, helping him drying them.

Or every time Baekhyun accepted to go eat instead of holing himself up in the store.

Every morning that they met in the kitchen, Yeol cooking something different for Baekhyun and him only.

Be damned fondness.

Be damned attachment and bad decision making.

“Let’s go” he simply whispered and Yeol nodded briefly, cheering shortly.

“I know you would accept it! We are the best team ever” he stated all happy and giddy, making Baekhyun sigh deeply shaking his head, feeling the need of another cigarette.

“You didn’t tell me why so formal” Baekhyun stated and Yeol hummed softly, pressing his lips in a thin line.

“Meeting with some public personalities today. Myeon wanted me to be _more professional possible_ ” he explained and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“ _Public personalities_?” he echoed and Yeol inhaled deeply, nodding.

“The mayor and… few other counsellors. I’m not made for these things” he explained picking up a creased necktie from his pocket.

Baekhyun let out a short chuckle, shaking his head.

“I can’t believe it” he muttered still shaking his head and Yeol smiled brightly at him.

“Come on, at least you saw me _this stunning_ ” he retorted and Baekhyun would never admit it out loud but… yeah, Yeol was indeed stunning.

“Stop bragging about useless things and raise your not-existent ass from the chair, _big boy_. We have to prepare things. Am I mistaking or those tickets are for ten days now?” he asked him and Yeol nodded shortly, sitting up.

“They are, yes… don’t tell me you never went outside South Korea?” he retorted toward Baekhyun who frowned shortly.

“What? No, I went to LA and Japan twice. And… to China a few times too. It’s where I met Zhang the first time” he stated briefly, sitting up too, fingers immediately reaching for his pocket and realizing that he left his packet of cigarette in Jongin’s office.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Zhang?” Yeol retorted, frowning and Baekhyun stare was on him shortly before moving away.

“Yixing. Zhang is his surname” he whispered walking outside the shop, followed immediately by Yeol who was frowning deeply.

“I didn’t know you were so close, you two” Yeol stated walking near Baekhyun that turned left instead of right toward the parking, following again his not so good orientation skills looking for a place where to buy cigarette.

“We are not. And we never were. I worked with him few times and he tried so hard to get in my pants, but not my type, sorry” he explained briefly, walking with his hands in his pocket, craving a cigarette more than he could care to admit.

“Still, he should have trusted you if he told you his full name” Yeol observed and Baekhyun stopped walking, moving his stare toward Yeol.

_Then you don’t trust me at all_ – he wanted to say to him, but he bit his lips, shaking his head, walking away.

“Baek?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, shaking his head again.

“Let’s go or I’ll leave you here” he concluded and he knew that he shouldn’t have trusted Yeol either.

Because Yeol was… grandson of _that_ Park family.

And if he didn’t want Baekhyun’s life, for sure he was after the diamond.

But Baekhyun wasn’t so keen on leaving it at the first pretty face he met.

Especially not to a Park.

“Baekhyun…” Yeol called him again and Baekhyun sighed briefly, stopping and turning around, raising his eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.

“You are…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun closed the distance that there was between them.

“Without cigarette and upset about it. Moreover, I have only few days to prepare to a trip to Japan and I don’t know what to tell to Dae” he breathed before taking Yeol’s collar, pulling him down.

“So… kiss me or let me go buy cigarettes” he concluded and Yeol didn’t let him finish the sentence, lips already pressing on Baekhyun’s, hand going to his sides, pulling him near him.

Baekhyun’s hand moved in Yeol’s hair, carding in, pulling him down, biting his bottom lip, asking for access and when Yeol granted it, they kissed slowly, unhurriedly, like the time stopped for them in that moment.

“You are half-decent with this suit” Baekhyun breathed between their lips before walking away, hearing Yeol chuckle softly before matching his own pace down the street.

The preparations to go to Japan were… easier than previewed.

Myeon had everything disposed.

They took the flight, first class as VIPs so nobody checked on them, no check on luggage no nothing.

Baekhyun never had a flight that easy.

First class was… expensive and luxurious in all the sense of terms.

Seats comfier than his own bed, larger than whichever other seat he ever sat on, hostesses and stewards going and coming silently but always present.

Yeol seemed at ease in that context and Baekhyun wondered how many times he took one of those flight for Myeon.

“It’s a while since last time you went to Japan?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed in thought.

“Eight years, more or less?” he retorted, thinking about it, fingers carding through his hair and resting his head back.

“Let’s do something together, then. It’s five days which is… too much for a mission like this. Myeon was _generous_ ” Yeol stated briefly making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head.

“He didn’t want us between his feet. I don’t even know what he will do in these five days” he stated and Yeol hummed… _nodding_.

He thought so too.

It wasn’t only Baekhyun’s thought.

“Wait… how do you even convinced Jondae to let you come for five days to Japan without telling him you are collaborating with Myeon?” Yeol asked him out of the blue making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head briefly.

“Isn’t it late to ask it now?” he retorted and Yeol frowned shortly but Baekhyun inhaled briefly.

“I… ordered him to stay here and trust me once again” he added softly, stare moving out of the window, rethinking about few days before when he discussed it with Jondae.

_“I’m… going to Japan with Yeol for few days” Baekhyun stated out of the blue while they were sitting in the jjajangmyeon store one day at lunch._

_Yeol was again with Myeon so it was only the three of them._

_“You what?” Jondae echoed immediately, almost choking on his noodles and Baekhyun poured him more water to drink, patting his shoulder._

_“I go to Japan with Yeol few days. I’ll be back soon. I don’t want you to tend the shop. Simply… take some days off too” he stated smiling briefly but Jondae frowned even deeper, drinking a bit of water._

_“Is there a … reason why you are going there with him? I mean, he should only protect you, no? And wouldn’t it be more dangerous to do it outside Seoul?” Jondae asked him briefly but Baekhyun inhaled shortly, shaking his head._

_“Nobody’s trying to kill me outside Seoul, so actually is more dangerous staying here than going away” he started saying and when Jondae tried to interject, he shook his head shorty, speaking up again._

_“However, I’m going there just because Yeol is really fan of the J-League and he found some tickets but didn’t want to go alone. Is that bad that I’m doing_ youngster _things too, once in a while?” he asked him and Jondae’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could shake his head softly._

_“No… I, I… Enjoy yourself” he concluded shortly and Baekhyun ruffled his hair shortly, making Jondae glare at him briefly._

_“I’ll back in no time. You won’t even realize I went away” he concluded and Jondae smiled at him briefly, nodding shortly, wishing his best for the trip and for the match_.

“What is he? Your dog?” Yeol asked him briefly, earning himself a slap on his shoulder from Baekhyun.

“Mind your words, _big boy_. Because the only one who could be my dog right now, it’s you seeing how you are following me around” he stated, glaring toward Yeol who softy barked in reply, making Baekhyun huff in exasperation, shaking his head.

“Seriously talking, I told him we are going to see a J-League match. So, prepare your best soccer stories” he stated and Yeol frowned shortly, perplexed.

“I don’t even like soccer” he complained lowly, picking up his phone and checking with matches there were in the following days and Baekhyun hummed shortly.

“Did you prefer a concert of AKB48?” he asked him softly, making Yeol frown even deeper.

“What in the world is… AKB48? A weapon?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun snorted, a mix between outraged and surprised about Yeol not knowing it.

“Yeah, sure, weapon” he breathed, wiping away some laughter tears, shaking his head.

And even before Yeol could inquire any further, Baekhyun sighed shortly.

“It’s a female idol group” he replied and Yeol commented with a totally not-enthusiast _oh_ , making Baekhyun snort briefly, shaking his head again.

“You really like to make me feel older than I am, right?” he countered but Yeol pressed his lips in a thin line, shaking his head.

He didn’t comment anything because he was more sensible on that matter that Baekhyun himself.

There was something about that age difference, of every time that Baekhyun said that he was old, that made Yeol immediately silent, irritable, even if Baekhyun didn’t know _why_.

And he never asked Yeol.

Like a lot of other things that they shared together but they never talked about.

Starting from sex but passing from breakfast-lunch-dinner together, Yeol snuggling his nose in Baekhyun’s hair or neck at every moment possible, sharing kisses _just because_ and the list was so long that Baekhyun could write a book, probably.

However, as long as he didn’t ask himself anything about it, it was fine.

Even when he knew that one day they would be forced to face it.

And also face the fact that Yeol was the grandson of a man that Baekhyun killed.

Or simply what Yeol was really wanted from him.

Revenge?

Or was he simply there for the diamond because Myeon ordered him to?

There wasn’t any other reason, Baekhyun knew it, but as long as things were like they were, they could pretend a bit more not to know.

“You are… silent” Yeol whispered near him and Baekhyun chuckled softly.

“Do you want me to tell you a story so that you can sleep for the rest of the flight?” he asked him making Yeol frown, sticking out his tongue.

But the playful moment lasted too few, Yeol’s stare hardening, getting serious again.

“I… Can I ask you something?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly, nodding briefly.

“You said that you… shot a man, right?” he started inquiring, voice getting softer, barely audible also for Baekhyun who was sitting near him.

Baekhyun forced his stare on Yeol, trying to understand what he was talking about.

“More than one, actually, yeah…” he replied shortly and Yeol hummed, pressing his lips in a thin line.

“I mean, that time… for the diamond, that you end up…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun interrupted him shortly.

“Yeah, that. What about it?” he asked him, stare hardening again, not exactly happy about the discourse.

“And that his family wasn’t worth to have that diamond back. Why?” he asked him shortly, making Baekhyun inhale deeply, fingers carding through his hair.

Why on that plane wasn’t allowed to smoke?

Baekhyun was craving one so much in that moment.

He started to play with the rings on his fingers before replying.

“I… had something to do with them, legally speaking, even before the robbery. And it wasn’t what it seemed to be…” he started saying, wondering how good it was speaking about those matters with Yeol who was not only a stranger who knew nothing about that story but he was also direct descendant of that family.

But after all, who knew what Park family was telling about that night?

What really happened and why Baekhyun in the end decided to keep the diamond with him.

“Not as it seemed to be?” Yeol echoed and Baekhyun’s stare moved on Yeol, remaining there, asking himself if it was fine to tell him that story.

And it probably wasn’t.

Not when Baekhyun still knew that few about Yeol.

Not when he didn’t know why Yeol was so willing in knowing about the diamond.

Was it only Myeon’s order?

Or there was something more to it?

“I don’t want to talk about it” Baekhyun finally let out, stare moving outside the window.

“Why?” Yeol asked him again and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, looking at him briefly.

“And why are you so interested in it? I won’t tell you where the diamond is” Baekhyun retorted immediately and when Yeol didn’t reply, Baekhyun shook his head again, stare moving away again.

“Forget about it. And don’t ask me about it” he concluded, resting his head on the window and closing his eyes.

He was tired of that story.

It was the only thing he would completely erase from his story, from his mind.

He was… friendly with Parks.

It was one of the few families that initially was interested in his talent as jeweler and not for his thieveries.

Baekhyun did works for them, legal ones.

Like estimating some gems for them, suggesting what to buy and even created a small collection of jewels for them.

And the robbery was… staged.

They had some problem with the insurance of that diamond that Baekhyun always liked a lot, but that, for loyalty toward the family, never tried to steal.

He accepted just because it was his work and Parks wanted to pay him good for it.

It was just fake stealing it and then give it back few weeks later.

Nothing more, nothing less.

But when Baekhyun entered the house that night and took the diamond, he realized that the head of Park family was already dead.

And for sure it wasn’t an accidental death.

Someone, probably from the family, killed him and wanted Baekhyun framed for it.

However, Baekhyun wasn’t born the day before.

And he called the police, turned himself in for auto-defense while robbing.

The gun was the same so his story was never questioned.

But the diamond remained to Baekhyun who hid it in his ashtray before calling the police.

Nobody looked in what seemed to be a simple ashtray.

Baekhyun got it back with all his things after exiting jail, almost one year after.

That diamond was Baekhyun’s insurance and… compensation for what happened that night.

Parks betrayed him, trying to frame him for a murder he didn’t commit?

Fine, he would also take the charges for it, but the diamond remained with him.

And so it was for the past… six years already.

“I’m… sorry” Yeol breathed near him but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“Stop trying to know more about it. I told you already when we met. You can ask me whatever you want, but I won’t tell you about the diamond, nor now nor never” he concluded, stare not moving toward Yeol who hummed briefly near him.

“Sure… let’s, uhm, speak about something else. So, you said… J-League?” Yeol tried shortly and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, nodding.

“Yeah, but Dae doesn’t know much about it, so don’t think too much into it either” he replied briefly and after a small silence, Baekhyun inhaled deeply.

“Listen, it’s not because it’s you…” he started saying even though, yeah, it was _exactly_ because Yeol was a Park.

Yeol shook his head shortly, smiling apologetically toward him.

“No, I shouldn’t have asked. You always tell me not to, so yeah. Sorry for trying to force the matter on you” Yeol retorted immediately and Baekhyun smiled shortly toward him too.

“Let’s forget about it, ‘kay?” he asked him and Yeol nodded immediately, more than glad to leave that heavy subject in favor of something else.

And the rest of the flight was pleasant, with them talking about nothings and what Yeol planned to do in the remaining days after they did what they had to do.

When they landed Baekhyun went to the first tobacco store inside the airport and in the first smoking area available.

“You smoke way too much” Yeol stated looking at him, dragging longer on his second cigarette in less than five minutes.

“I hate long journeys where I can’t smoke” he simply retorted finishing shortly also that one so that they could exit and going toward the place Myeon reserved for them.

Apparently, from what he said, it was a resort just outside Osaka where a private meeting was about to be held and only the participants would stay there.

However, when they arrive, they both could not contain a marveled _oh_.

The building was an old _ryokan_ with hot springs and hidden gardens and… Baekhyun never went to a place that luxurious yet so _natural_ as that.

“Myeon… really wants those silver boxes a lot…” Baekhyun let out softly, in awe, unable to process all of that.

Yeol had to almost drag him to the reception, all wood with some flowery decorations.

Yeol’s Japanese was good, almost as Baekhyun’s since both were to Japan several times apparently.

And when they entered their room, they were almost surprised to find that the bed was a big one and not two separated.

“Up to share?” Yeol asked him, smirk appearing on his lips and making Baekhyun chuckle.

“Don’t ask it as if we never slept together. It creeps me out” he retorted, snorting and moving inside the room, putting down his luggage.

Yeol chuckled too before picking up his phone and reading the program that Myeon sent him.

“We have few hours before the start…” he said and Baekhyun hummed opening his luggage revealing, under some clothes, a set of tools that he brought from home, opening it up considering his options.

Then he crawled toward the closet open it up and looking for the safe.

“Baek?” Yeol asked him but Baekhyun was studying the thing, trying to understand how he could open it.

He brought out his ashtray, opening its back and looking at what was better.

He was so focused that for a second he forgot about Yeol being there.

At least until when Yeol gently patted on his shoulder, making him jolt in surprise.

“You are frowning. Relax… everything will be fine” Yeol whispered at him, making Baekhyun chuckle softly.

“You are so cute, Yeol. I know that you don’t want me to tell you, but when you worry so much for nothing…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol took his hand pulling him up with him, near him, so near that Baekhyun could feel his warmth on his body and Yeol’s fresh perfume.

“Want me to show you who’s cute?” he muttered, leaning down and Baekhyun’s stare was immediately on Yeol’s, finding it playful and aroused.

“We have to prepare for tonight, Yeol…” Baekhyun breathed, but his fingers moved to card in Yeol’s hair, pulling him down, closing almost all the distance there was between them, feeling Yeol’s breath on his lips.

“Your… actions are different from your words, Baek” Yeol whispered, imperceptibly leaning in, lips barely brushing on Baekhyun’s.

“I know, because I haven’t touched you in… two days now and now you are here so willing” Baekhyun let out, biting his own lips, stare not leaving Yeol’s and despite _everything_ it was so easy to forget all the other things to simply indulge himself in how stunning, enthralling, provocative Yeol could be.

“Oh, was it only two days?” Yeol retorted softly and Baekhyun hummed briefly in reply.

They simply stared in each other’s eyes for a brief moment before Yeol bit his own lips too.

“You are right though, we have to prepare for tonight and heavens forbid if we fail, since how much Myeon spent for this” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, barely nodding.

“So…” he started, stare not leaving Yeol’s face.

“So…?” he echoed, hands moving on Baekhyun’s sides, gently caressing him there.

“So kiss me and let’s prepare for tonight. Let’s leave celebration for later on” Baekhyun concluded and Yeol wasn’t waiting for anything else.

He closed that small almost inexistent distance, placing his lips on Baekhyun, softly, but in the same moment their lips brushed, the kiss immediately became something more passionate, Baekhyun pulling him down, even nearer to him, licking Yeol’s bottom lip, asking for access.

And Yeol granted it, without hesitation, simply kissing Baekhyun back, hands not leaving his waist, plastering their bodies together.

“Heavens know what I would do to you right now” Baekhyun breathed between their lips, making Yeol groan lowly in the kiss.

“Don’t get me even started with this… We have to do _things_ before” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun nodded shortly, briefly kissing him again before detaching and moving again toward the safe.

“You are right, unfortunately” he stated and Yeol chuckled softly behind him.

“It’s rare hearing you say that I’m right” he commented and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head.

“Sure, sure” he commented finally deciding which tools to bring with him.

They prepared joking on stupid things and repeating the program that Myeon sent them and how they were supposed to behave.

“So… the things are two. Or I seduce this old man Sato and enter his room like this, or we have to find another way” Baekhyun stated fixing the cuffs of his shirt.

Yeol scrunched his nose, clearly unapproving of the first option.

“I’m sure that in the reception they have a list with the guests’ names” Yeol added and Baekhyun hummed in thought.

“So during dinner, while they are all eating, we go there, discover in which room Sato is and then we go there and retrieve the things for Myeon, right?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol nodded shortly.

“Seems the best plan to me” he retorted and Baekhyun nodded, smiling shortly at him.

“It will be fine” he concluded before opening the door and going toward the hall.

They had a bit of socializing just to let themselves know around and to create a small _alibi_ in the case something would have happened and then they went to the reception.

There wasn’t anybody so Baekhyun who, despite the age, was better with computer than Chanyeol started to look for Sato’s room.

Every pavilion of the _ryokan_ was named with a flower name and so it would be even more difficult to understand where the room was.

“Sato’s name was Ryoichi? Or Yuichi?” Baekhyun whispered frowning, seeing that there were two guests with Sato surname on the list but were in two different rooms.

“Ryoichi” Yeol breathed while he was tending that nobody arrived.

“Okay so… Wisteria room four” he stated and Yeol groan at the mention.

“Isn’t it on the opposite side of the _ryokan_?” he asked him, whining and Baekhyun slapped his shoulder pushing him toward the corridor.

“Less whining and start walking then” he retorted walking near him and side-glancing him.

Yeol had his hair pulled back, revealing the nice undercut, he was wearing a blue navy suit and he looked stunning in all his being.

Especially since near Baekhyun, he looked even taller than usual.

“Why are you so tall?” Baekhyun asked him out of the blue and Yeol snorted before exploding in a sound laughter.

“What the…? What question is this?” he retorted and Baekhyun snorted too, shaking his head.

“Annoyingly tall” he whispered but Yeol circled Baekhyun’s shoulders with his arm, leaning on him, making his feel even shorter.

“Brat” he added, jabbing in Yeol’s side making him whine again.

“Will you stop making all this fuss? Come on, this way” Baekhyun stated but Yeol took his hand, shaking his head, still laughing.

“It’s this way, not over there” he explained between the laughter and the tears.

Baekhyun clicked his tongue before puffing his cheeks, shaking his head.

“Hate you” he whispered and Yeol snorted again, ruffling his hair.

They reached the Wisteria pavilion and also the room they were looking for.

That pavilion was desert, no one around so they could do as they pleased.

Baekhyun kneeled down in front of the door, shortly fidgeting with the lock of the door, but it gave in almost immediately letting them enter.

There were some clothes on the bed and then a bag and a luggage on the floor, open.

Baekhyun neared the closet, opening it and revealing more clothes and… the safe.

“It will take a while, it’s an old model and…” he started saying but Yeol reassured him with a small gesture of his hands

“Work. I’ll check that nobody’s coming” he replied and Baekhyun nodded shortly, starting his work on the safe.

It took a while more than previewed because it was really old and the gears inside weren’t working properly.

And Baekhyun didn’t want to force them and risk to break them, so he had to take it slower than previewed.

“They should renew their safes…” Baekhyun groaned lowly when it finally clicked opening up.

Baekhyun picked up the papers inside it, briefly taking photos at them because one never knows, and then found the small silver case that he picked up before closing again the safe.

“Found it” he breathed toward Yeol who nodded shortly, making him gesture that the corridor was clear.

Baekhyun exited and he was closing back the door when someone, clearly not Mr. Sato, appeared at the end of the corridor.

It was a man, tall almost as Yeol, wearing a dark suit.

He wasn’t a participant to the meeting because Baekhyun didn’t remember seeing him before and neither a staff member of the _ryokan_.

And even before he could realize that he was pulling out a gun, Baekhyun pushed Yeol on the other side of the corridor, pulling out his gun too.

There were two shots, Baekhyun shot him at the leg, but the man shot him back, hitting his shoulder.

Baekhyun pressed his hand on the injury, hissing.

It hurt like hell and it was a while since last time he was shot.

“Baek!” Yeol shouted, nearing him immediately but Baekhyun shook his head, rustling in his pocket and giving him the silver case.

“Hide it” he whispered, pressing harder on his shoulders, before looking back at the end of the corridor but the other man already went away.

The shots obviously attracted people that came in seeing what happened.

“What happened?” one of the waitresses asked nearing them even if Baekhyun still had his gun in his hands.

“There was someone here, he tried to break in in this room and we tried to stop him” Baekhyun whispered pressing harder on his shoulder, hissing.

The waitress called an ambulance and the police.

Police unfortunately arrived before the ambulance and Baekhyun had to justify his gun.

“I’m… Mr. Park’s bodyguard. I’ve a regulatory permission for that” he breathed softly, even if he was sure that Yeol heard that too, especially seeing how his eyes went wider in perplexity.

“Fine, Mr. Park, do you want to go with him to the ER?” the police officer asked toward Yeol when the ambulance arrived and Yeol nodded mechanically.

“You are lucky, Mr. Byun. It seems that the bullet didn’t touch any ligament, so the damage won’t be permanent” the ER girl explained him, smiling while she helped him laying down on the gurney.

“There’s no need to…” he started saying but she shook her head, smiling at him.

“Rest a bit, it will be good to you” she added and Baekhyun leant his head back, closing his eyes.

He woke up he didn’t know how much time later, recognizing the hospital smell and the sting of the IV in his arm.

Baekhyun clicked his tongue before trying to sit up, but there was a piercing pain in his shoulder that made him groan lowly, hand immediately pressing hard there.

“It will hurt more like this” Yeol’s soft voice came from his side and Baekhyun clicked his tongue again.

“I hate hospitals. I could do this also alone… Was it really necessary?” he asked even though it was a rhetorical question since, yeah, there were at least ten people that saw him bleeding for a gunshot so… necessary.

There was a small silence and then Yeol spoke up.

“I thought that it was my duty to protect you, not the contrary” he stated lowly and Baekhyun sighed shortly, shaking his head.

“What’s the difference? I’m alive and nothing happened…” he started saying but Yeol clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed.

“ _Nothing happened_?” he echoed and when Baekhyun opened his eyes, stare moving on Yeol, he was worried.

“What the hell, Baekhyun. It was…” he started but Baekhyun shook his head, biting his lips feeling another pain piercing his shoulder.

“I’m too tired for this shit, Yeol. It happened and I would do it again. I don’t regret it and I’m glad you are not injured. Will you stop it now?” Baekhyun asked him, voice feeble but decided and imperative, making Yeol sigh deeply again.

“You shouldn’t have…” Yeol whispered but Baekhyun inhaled deeply before taking those few strengths he had to sit up.

It hurt even more and Yeol was immediately near him helping him.

And Baekhyun’s hand reached Yeol’s cheek, gently, softly, thumb stroking it.

“I did what I thought was right in that moment. I had plenty of these and you are too young to die. Sorry if it’s not what you expected” Baekhyun muttered, cringing again at the stabbing pain.

“Idiot” Yeol let out softly, leaning his forehead to Baekhyun’s, fingers going to stroke his cheek too.

Baekhyun closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, Yeol’s perfume reaching him.

They stayed there in silence and Baekhyun would never admit it but it was… soothing.

However, the question finally arrived.

“Since when did you know?” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun opened his eyes again, staring in Yeol’s.

“Ten days more or less” he replied honestly, stare not moving away, simply staring back at Yeol who pressed his lips in a thin line.

“Why you didn’t tell me anything?” he asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“Why didn’t you?” he retorted and Yeol groaned distancing himself from Baekhyun walking near his bed.

“How could I? You wouldn’t let me near if you knew it” Yeol stated, fingers carding through his hair and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“And why would you want to be near me?” he inquired, gently pressing his fingers against his shoulder, trying to sooth a bit the pain.

“Because… Myeon ordered it to me” he replied and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“No other personal reasons?” he asked again and Yeol shook his head briefly before confirming it also with words.

“No other reasons, no” he replied and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head, gesturing toward the door.

“We are done. Go out. I’ve had enough of your lies” he breathed, voice slightly wavering, but maybe it was again because of the pain in his shoulders, not for other reasons.

There was a small silence and then Yeol walked away, exiting the room as Baekhyun asked him to, closing the door behind his back.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, leaning his head on the pillow behind him and bit his lips at the pain.

It was… right that way?

Would have it been better differently?

Feigning again not to know.

That everything was fine like that too many secrets between them and not silly secrets that wouldn’t hurt anyone, but secrets for which someone could… _kill_.

Baekhyun closed his eyes, trying to focus his thoughts away from the pain, from Yeol, from the diamond, the Parks… everything.

The door opened back a bit later, Baekhyun immediately sitting up, not realizing fully how much time it passed.

But in front of him there was again Yeol.

“You are right” he stated and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“No more lies nor secret. But I want the same from you” he stated and Baekhyun was already shaking his head when Yeol stopped him.

“And I don’t mean on _where_ the diamond is. I don’t care any less about it. I want to know about that night” he stated seriously and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, gesturing the chair where Yeol was sitting before.

Yeol sat down and Baekhyun bit his lips again, fingers moving again on his shoulder.

“Do you want me to call the nurse?” Yeol asked him but Baekhyun shook his head.

“This is more important” he breathed and when Yeol tried to interject, Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“Tell me why you wanted to be near me” Baekhyun inquired and Yeol inhaled deeply, gripping his hands together.

“I… didn’t want to even come and meet you at the start” Yeol started saying, making Baekhyun remember that time in Myeon’s office when Yeol asked him not to be the one going with Baekhyun.

Baekhyun thought it was for him not being _strong enough_ but maybe there were other reasons.

“You are… Byun Baekhyun. The man that killed my grandfather, so yeah… having something to do with you could result in a bloody situation” he added briefly, voice almost imperceptible also for Baekhyun who was there.

“But Myeon… _kindly_ asked me to nevertheless and as you learnt yourself, it’s difficult to say _no_ especially if the reasons are not enough. And I tried explaining my reasons to Myeon, but he found them insufficient for refusing that work” he continued shortly, fingers carding through his hair, messing it up.

Baekhyun hummed in consent even though he had already some questions about things, that he kept for himself.

“So I met you and you were, no wait, are because you still are, interesting. So clever and talented, your jewels are beautiful and… I felt attracted to you. And what started as a play, became something more stable and… I didn’t find the right moment to talk you about it anymore” Yeol concluded inhaling deeply, shaking his head, meeting Baekhyun’s stare that was already on him.

“And… why you don’t care about the diamond but want to know what happened that night? You should have read the newspapers and…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol shook his head shortly.

“I know that that is not the truth” he interrupted him, making Baekhyun frown deeply.

“What… make you think so?” Baekhyun asked him interested in why in all those years the only one who asked himself if that murder really went like that, was exactly the grandson of Park family.

Yeol inhaled deeply, biting his lips shortly before speaking up again.

“My family is not… united as it may seem. Even when I was younger and you still visited the house…” Yeol breathed making Baekhyun frown.

He never met Yeol before he entered his shop proposing a work for Myeon.

How come Yeol knew that Baekhyun often visited Park mansion?

Was it only a thing told again and again over the years or he really had memories of him?

“You always seemed like a prince. So classy with your silvery hair and slender fingers…” he whispered and Baekhyun felt warm in his cheeks.

Yeol really had memories of him.

It meant that he observed him without making his own presence obvious.

Yeol coughed shortly, immediately diverging the discourse on something else.

“And when my aunt told us that you of all the people killed my grandfather, I couldn’t believe it. You were friend with him, right? You would never kill him. There was another reason why you were there, because you took the diamond and shot my grandfather” Yeol stated decided, stare moving again on Baekhyun who hummed shortly, fingers carding through his hair and immediately realizing that he didn’t have rings on his fingers.

“I have all your things. Rings, necklaces, cigarette and ashtray. Your gun instead was brought away by the police” Yeol explained shortly and when Baekhyun was about to ask him if he could have them back, Yeol shook his head.

“You can’t put them back at least while we are here. Hopefully only few more hours, time to check that all your exams are good” Yeol added and Baekhyun sighed shortly, feeling again the piercing pain at his shoulder.

He clicked his tongue, fingers gently pressing on it.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to…?” Yeol started to say but Baekhyun shook his head, biting harder on his lips.

“It will be fine” he simply breathed shortly, moving once again his stare on Yeol.

“I… was friend with your grandfather, yes. Great chess player and whiskey drinker. A wise man” Baekhyun started saying, small smile appearing on his lips, remembering of old things gone.

“He wasn’t the one who asked me to steal the blue diamond, but he agreed with it. He knew that it was a good thing for Park & Associates” Baekhyun continued saying, smile faltering shortly.

“The insurance didn’t want to cover all its value and they decided to prove how valuable it was making me steal it. But it wouldn’t have been a _real robbery_. It was only a matter of taking it with me for a few and then giving it back” he explained briefly fingers playing with the hem of the blankets.

“And I didn’t shoot either. I did as I was asked, entered there, opened the safe and took what there was inside, also other things just for it not to be too obvious and when I was about to exit, I saw him there, laying on the ground and I knew that the real reason of all that farce wasn’t the insurance of the diamond. But the murder” Baekhyun concluded briefly, fingers carding again in his hair and he craved for a cigarette so bad.

Yeol hummed in thought, frowning, clearly lost in thought.

“I knew it…” he whispered and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line.

“I… called the police and took the charges because surely they wanted to frame me in some other ways. But I took with me also the diamond” he shortly added and Yeol hummed again.

“That’s why you said that the family don’t… deserve to have the diamond back?” he asked him and Baekhyun simply nodded, inhaling deeply.

And even before any of them could say something the door opened and a policeman with a nurse entered.

“Ah, Mr. Byun, thank you again for your help. We are now pursuing that robber” he stated and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“Yeah… Mr. Sato, who occupied that room, said that someone forced his safe and took important material from it. So we are now looking for the thief, he won’t go far since you injured him” he stated and Baekhyun smiled briefly toward him.

“I just did my work while protecting Mr. Park, officer. Nothing more” he stated and the nurse neared him too, checking how was him and the injury on his shoulders.

When she moved his t-shirt checking the injury, she sighed deeply, scolding stare moving toward Baekhyun.

“Did you touch it, Mr. Byun?” she asked him and when Baekhyun was about to shake his head, Yeol replied affirmatively in his place.

“You should be more careful. Let me change your bandage before we can dismiss you” she stated and after a small moment of embarrass because Baekhyun had to show all his old scars to two perfectly strangers, he could dress up again and have back his belongings.

Cigarette and ashtray were the first two things to finish immediately in his trousers, and after he put on his rings.

But when he was about to raise his hands to put on his necklaces, he felt a sting on his shoulder, making him lower it immediately.

“Idiot” Yeol whispered near him, taking the white gold threads in his hands and putting them on Baekhyun, fingers gently caressing Baekhyun’s neck.

The nurse stared at Baekhyun worried before she could speak up, this time toward Yeol.

“Mr. Park, please take care of him” she stated and they were almost on the door when she spoke up again.

“And stop smoking. It’s bad for your health” she added making Baekhyun bow again shortly toward her, thanking.

Even though the very same moment he was out of the hospital… he lighted himself a cigarette, dragging longer on it.

“Everything went smoother than expected” he let out, earning himself a glare from Yeol.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“I mean, we are not even remotely suspected of anything but we have Myeon’s silver case. What better ending could there be?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol groaned again, letting out an exasperated sound.

“You not fucking hurting your shoulder?” he retorted and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, regretting it immediately, stabbing pain piercing in his injury.

Yeol clicked his tongue again, shaking his head.

“Let’s go… You heard the nurse, no? I have to take care of you” he stated and Baekhyun sighed deeply, letting Yeol call a taxi for them and escorting him again to the _ryokan_.

All the personnel was there to thank him and for telling him how brave he was, just to protect his boss and Baekhyun wanted a lot to tell that he had no boss nor owner, but it would be a problem and he was a bit too tired for it.

And Yeol knew it, because seen the amount of time that they spent together, he was more than able to read Baekhyun.

So with some excuses and pleasantries, he almost forced Baekhyun in their room.

“Lay down” Yeol ordered him but Baekhyun shook his head.

“I need at least a shower before” he started saying but Yeol shook his head shortly.

“Not tonight. Tomorrow if you want” he objected but Baekhyun was already going toward the bathroom.

“At least a bit, Yeol. I’m sweaty and there’s still blood here and…” he started briefly but Yeol took his wrist, stopping him.

“Undress and sit down here, then. I’ll help you wash without showering, so that there won’t be any problem for your shoulder” he stated and this time it was definitive.

Baekhyun’s opened his mouth to retort, but Yeol pushed a finger on his lips.

“Will you _please_ be cooperative?” Yeol whispered, leaning down and only his finger still divided his lips from Baekhyun’s.

“Kiss me and I’ll let you do as you please” Baekhyun breathed, taking Yeol’s hand in his and, without waiting for his reply, he took it away, tiptoeing to close that small distance that still existed between them.

Yeol leant immediately in, kissing him back, gripping on Baekhyun’s fingers in his, circling his waist with his arm, pulling him near.

The kissed in silence unhurriedly, simply lips on lips, lost only in each other’s softness and taste.

“I was worried” Yeol let out softly, leaning his forehead on Baekhyun’s.

“You don’t have to. I told you, it wasn’t my …” he started saying but Yeol pressed a kiss on his lips.

“Your first scar, I know. But I was here to protect you, while you did the opposite and ended up protecting me” Yeol objected making Baekhyun inhaled, gripping harder on Yeol’s fingers in him.

“I simply acted on instinct” he whispered but he knew that it wasn’t the real reply.

Baekhyun did things _thinking_ about them.

And when he pushed Yeol away, he knew why he did it and what it would happen.

He only thought he would be quicker to shoot and that the other guy wouldn’t hit him, but yeah.

He knew why he did it, even if neither in centuries he would say it to Yeol.

Because the fondness he felt toward Yeol was only something _brotherly_ anymore.

He had… feelings for the man.

Of the worst type.

But between having them and telling them to Yeol… there was an entire universe.

“Next time, keep your instinct for you” Yeol stated making him sit down and going to retrieve something to help him wash a bit.

Baekhyun undressed slowly, keeping on only the t-shirt because his shoulder hurt too bad to undress alone.

Yeol came back with towels and a change that he picked up from Baekhyun’s luggage.

“You need a help with the t-shirt?” Yeol asked him putting everything down and looking at Baekhyun who nodded shortly, stare shifting away.

“I hate this, just for you to know” Baekhyun whispered and Yeol sighed shortly, fingers caressing his hair, pulling them back, revealing his forehead and placing a small kiss on it.

“Relax. It’s nothing different from when I see you…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun pressed a whole hand on his mouth.

“It is, Yeol. I… I’m…” he started saying and then he shook his head.

“Exit. I… can do it alone” he stated pushing him out of the bathroom and closing the door, behind him, leaning his back on it.

“Baek… at least let me help you for the t-shirt…” Yeol stated but Baekhyun bit his lips.

“I will manage. Go enjoy the hot spring!” he retorted and he heard Yeol sigh deeply, before walking away from the door, making Baekhyun sigh again.

With a bit of effort, he managed to pull out his t-shirt and started to clean himself with a wet towel, minding his injury on his shoulder.

He was wondering how to wash his hair when he heard a knock on the door.

“Baekhyun? You okay?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun groaned lowly.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m… fine” he replied but Yeol opened the door, peeking in.

“A help?” he whispered and Baekhyun slightly kneeled down, leaning his head on the sink.

“Yes, sorry” he muttered, voice barely audible finally surrendering to the idea that he would never be able to wash his hair without a help, and Yeol neared him, kneeling down near him.

“Hey, it’s fine to ask for help if you need it. And I don’t mind doing it” he whispered, stroking his back and Baekhyun groaned in displeasure.

“I’m sorry, maybe I’m getting older. Once I wasn’t this…” he started saying but Yeol sighed audibly, shaking his head and forcing Baekhyun to look at him.

“Do you realize that they shot you today? And it’s okay to feel weak and fatigued. The nurse said that you lost a lot of blood when they removed the bullet” Yeol explained, fingers gently stroking on Baekhyun’s cheek.

“You are… strong enough to me. Now, let me help you so that later you can lay down and rest a bit?” he asked him softly, without letting Baekhyun reply anything but… _yes_.

Yeol helped him wash his hair and also dry, and later helped him to put on a t-shirt to sleep.

“Now sleep a bit. I’ll go take a shower quickly…” Yeol stated but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Go enjoy the hot springs a bit, Yeol. It’s a pity not to” he whispered, feeling again that piercing pain in his shoulder while he was laying down.

Yeol looked at him briefly before shaking his head.

“Maybe tomorrow if you feel better, we can go together, find a solution for that” he stated gesturing toward his shoulder before going toward the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

Baekhyun laid down better, closing his eyes, inhaling deeply.

Maybe he was really getting older.

It was a while since last time, but that time hurt so bad that he didn’t even consider sitting up for a smoke, for how much he craved for a cigarette.

He didn’t know how much time passed before Yeol came out of the bathroom but he felt the mattress moving near him, making him sit up immediately, swearing at the sudden movement, pressing his hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you” Yeol whispered and Baekhyun shook his head, fingers carding through his hair, shifting his stare away.

“I’m… sorry too” he breathed, before slowly laying down again, cringing at the pain.

“Hey… do you want something for that? The nurse gave me painkillers stronger than usual” Yeol started saying picking up a bottle of water and a blister of pills from the nightstand.

“Yeah, maybe it’s better” Baekhyun whispered in reply, drinking two of them with half bottle of water.

Yeol laid down near him, patting on his own shoulder.

“Come here” he breathed and Baekhyun nodded, leaning in without thinking about it twice, snuggling in Yeol’s warmth, inhaling his perfume, mixed with a… flowery shampoo offered by the _ryokan_.

“You… smell good. Flowery” Baekhyun muttered making Yeol chuckle softly.

“You too” he retorted, kissing the top of his head and Baekhyun simply let himself go to sleep, pain numbed by painkillers and Yeol’s fingers gently caressing his side.

When Baekhyun woke the following morning, it seemed like the events from the previous day were nothing but a dream.

His shoulder ached a bit but totally differently from the night before and Yeol maybe was right, more than the real pain, Baekhyun felt that bad for the amount of blood lost.

Yeol was sleeping near him, peacefully, hair messed up, looking so cute that Baekhyun wanted to lean down and kiss him, keeping him near forever.

However, he knew that it was only a matter of time.

After that task, they would go back to Seoul and, after fixing things with the Russians, Baekhyun would be back to his normal life, distant from illegalities, from EXO and from Yeol.

Baekhyun was already too fond of the younger man sleeping near him and he let him already too near.

Especially always considering that Yeol was… a Park.

Everything was… messed up and Baekhyun knew that things couldn’t stay that way forever, including the fact that Yeol was doing whatever there was between them as… a diversion while he also had to protect Baekhyun’s life.

Nothing more, nothing less.

It was nice and all but there wasn’t any other feeling behind it.

He sat up slowly, minding not waking Yeol up and went to the bathroom, sighing shortly.

His reflection in the mirror was… horrible.

Baekhyun had to do something about it or Yeol would have worried about nothing once again.

Yeol said that he wanted to do things in those days they had free before returning back to Seoul, so Baekhyun started to search on internet attractions or places to visit near there.

He washed his face thinking about it and then went in the breakfast hall with the same thoughts.

Some waitresses asked him how he felt, if his shoulder was fine and Baekhyun nodded shorty, smiling at them charmingly, convincing them that everything was fine.

And he was sitting on a table, softly munching on his rice, thoughts still wandering on things they could do those days, when Yeol entered the room looking for him with his stare, worried.

“Hey” Baekhyun greeted him but Yeol sighed deeply sitting in front of him.

“You could have left a…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Yesterday was a long day for both. And I was simply hungry in few minutes I would be back” he retorted immediately, smiling softly toward him, making Chanyeol sigh deeply.

“Still…” he tried to say again but Baekhyun’s smiled even wider toward him.

“Go take something for breakfast and let’s plan what to do these remaining days here. I don’t want to waste this possibility” Baekhyun stated softly and Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could nod shortly sitting up and going to retrieve something to eat for himself too.

After reassuring Yeol for the probably _hundredth_ time about being fine and his shoulder not hurting as much as the day before, Baekhyun started listing all the things they could do in the area and that weren’t too distant or requiring long tiring trip.

“Or there’s also… Universal Studios near here” Baekhyun stated finishing his egg rolls and Yeol hummed in thought.

“I think I never went to a theme park in all my life” he replied shortly, making Baekhyun’s eyes going wider in perplexity.

“Are you… sure? I mean, neither when you were younger, to some of your first dates?” Baekhyun asked him surprised by the sudden revelation, but Yeol after thinking a bit more, shook his head.

“I never had… dates when I was younger. Before leaving Park’s mansion I was… controlled at sight. No exiting when not allowed and only to go to school or for annoying activities” Yeol started saying, stirring his soup before picking up the bowl and drinking it.

“And when later I changed life, I… played around a lot. A lot of sex and definitely not dates. I… never thought about seriously dating someone, including commitment and all those things…” he added putting down the bowl and forcing a short smile toward Baekhyun whose eyes was still wide in perplexity.

Baekhyun thought it was somehow sad but he wasn’t anybody to judge Yeol and his lifestyle.

“Well, for a day I’ll be your date. Let’s go to the Studios” Baekhyun stated, chuckling and Yeol snorted, shaking his head.

“Are you sure about it? I don’t even know where to start from… It will be a disaster” Yeol commented but Baekhyun was already shaking his head too.

“Trust me” he whispered and Yeol nodded without thinking about it twice.

“And let’s bet something on it. If you will manage even once to make my heart flutter, I’ll offer you dinner back in Seoul” Baekhyun stated and Yeol chuckled, sitting up.

“Just once is fine? Too easy” he replied smirk opening on his lips but Baekhyun chuckled shaking his head, waking away with a short _let’s see_.

They went back to the room just to change their clothes and while commuting there Baekhyun bought also the tickets through the website, including some passes for shortening the queue.

“There are several areas, including Despicable Me and Harry Potter. How good is your Japanese? Do you want me to buy you a Korean audio guide?” Baekhyun asked him while they were standing in the metro going toward Osaka central station, place where they would change to the one going to the Studios.

“No I think I’m good” Yeol replied and Baekhyun nodded, moving his stare on his screen again, scrolling down and looking for more info about opening and closing hours.

He was so focused on it that he wasn’t ready when the metro screeched to a halt, probably due to something on the rails, and if it wasn’t for Yeol he would have fallen on the ground for sure.

Yeol took his arm, pulling him near, and gripping harder on the bar above their heads to still both of them, preventing Baekhyun to fall.

“You okay?” Yeol asked him, near him, voice barely a whisper near Baekhyun’s ear, way too near.

“Yeah, I, yes. Everything’s fine. Thanks” he replied, forcing a brief smile, hinting a step back to shortly distance himself from Yeol, but Yeol’s hand was still on his arm, keeping him near.

“Continue to check what we have to do for today, I’ve got you” Yeol stated and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could nod, move his stare again on the phone even if he felt a warmth creeping up to his cheeks.

It was… bad.

What did he think of when he suggested a fake-date-day?

And that stupid bet?

Ah, really, poor decision making.

But since he was there, he couldn’t go back anymore so… it would be better enjoying it.

The metro ride went uneventfully after that, both in the change and the next ride too.

They spoke about the attractions, what Yeol wanted to see before and so on.

The metro was a bit cramped but way less than Baekhyun thought, probably because it was a weekday of a whatever week in October, nothing more.

Exiting the metro, Yeol took his hand and guided him toward the entrance, making Baekhyun frown shortly.

It was the rarest thing that Yeol took his hand.

It happened few times only in their acquaintance and almost always for sex-related matters.

But in that moment, Yeol was guiding him toward the entrance and if Baekhyun knew Yeol enough, he was… excited.

Baekhyun smiled softly following him and after showing the tickets to the man at the entrance, receiving the real tickets and maps, they entered and both of them were speechless in front of something _that_ big.

Baekhyun went few times to a theme park, including Lotte World which was… _big_.

But Universal Studios were… huge.

“I… don’t think we will manage to see everything today” Baekhyun let out softly and Yeol chuckled shaking his head.

“Let’s do our best. I’m sure you already know where to go first, right?” he asked him smiling at him and Baekhyun nodded, surprised.

It was… pleasant seeing _that_ Yeol.

Yeol was… nice and asked to Baekhyun a lot of things on the attractions, of what he wanted or not to do and so.

It really felt like a real date.

After losing themselves a bit in the Wizarding world of Harry Potter, Yeol almost pushed Baekhyun inside a _pub-looking_ restaurant and convinced him to rest a bit.

“Aren’t you pushing it too far? We made all the Hollywood part and all this Harry Potter things… Let’s eat something at least?” Yeol asked him shortly and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“I should be the one complaining since I’m this old…” he started saying but Yeol immediately clicked his tongue, diverging his stare away.

“Will you cut it? You are not old” he stated and even before Baekhyun could retort something, anything, his stare was worried again on him.

“How’s your shoulder? Aren’t you overworking it?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, shaking his head.

“No worries. I’m doing only the necessary. It would be worst if it was a leg” he replied softly but Yeol frowned even deeper than before.

“You are impossible, really” he whispered making Baekhyun chuckle softly but mentally thanked the waiter that came to pick their orders up because for a moment Baekhyun felt something too intimate in that instant and it wasn’t the case to complicate things even more between the two of them.

They ordered something and when their dishes came they started to eat in silence before Yeol could speak up.

“You know awfully a lot of things about me and my family, while I know nothing about you and yours” he stated shortly and Baekhyun snorted shortly, before drinking a sip from his glass of beer.

“I… there’s nothing much to tell, Yeol. My family is … almost like I don’t have it. I started with my previous activity when I was sixteen. Saw a lot of shit along the way and then got here. Nothing more” he replied, softly shrugging his shoulders, trying not to hurt himself on the injured shoulder.

Yeol though inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

“It’s… nothing because you consider it nothing. I mean, your way of telling what happened in your life is… rushed?” Yeol commented cleaning his mouth on a napkin before moving his stare toward Baekhyun.

“I… it’s nothing, Yeol really. What do you want me to say?” Baekhyun asked him before taking another bite from his hamburger and Yeol leant his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands, observing Baekhyun.

“Something fun happened when you were child?” he asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly, humming in thought.

“I… was ten years old and one of my brothers at the orphanage kept messing up with some street gangs slightly older than us and I… I think that was my very first brawl? We were devastated and I think that the nuns kept us grounded for a month more or less?” Baekhyun replied trying to find something in his childhood that could be under the category _fun_.

Yeol instead frowned deeply.

“Where’s the fun in this?” he asked him shortly and Baekhyun beamed at him.

“We won and those guys never came back” he replied nodding making Yeol chuckle softly, shaking his head.

There was another brief moment of silence and the Yeol moved again his stare on Baekhyun.

“I didn’t know you went to an orphanage” he stated and Baekhyun hummed, shrugging his shoulders.

“Does this make any difference? Better that than what there was before” he whispered, putting down his hamburger and cleaning his hands on the napkin, inhaling deeply.

“Your family…” Yeol started but Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shifting his stare away.

He never told anybody about his past.

Not that nobody actually asked or never interested themselves in it, but Baekhyun wouldn’t tell either.

Instead, with Yeol he was almost _willing_ to tell him about it.

“My father wasn’t exactly a saint and my mother didn’t want me. They kept me with them until I was six, but it was like I wasn’t actually _there_. They never cared about me being fine or not, about sending me to school things like this” he started saying, fingers playing with his rings and wanting a cigarette so bad even if they were in restaurant with written _smoking forbidden_ in capital letters everywhere.

“One day, though, a… woman came to visit us and she wanted to speak with me. She realized soon enough that despite being six years old I barely knew how to express myself, let alone writing and counting. So she came back few other times and then she brought me away with her. Later I knew she was a welfare worker and she brought me in an orphanage, waiting for someone to adopt me. The orphanage was… not too bad. I made some friends and learnt things thrice faster than in any other school I could ever attend, even though I still attended one” Baekhyun continued, fingers carding through his hair, eyes not meeting Yeol’s.

“And from there I learnt also… less legal things. Even though they granted me possibilities I would never dream of if I would remain at home. Like science courses, a workshop with owner of nearby shop-owners including a jeweler and so on. I learnt there about most of the things I know. The others… come from the street” he concluded shrugging his shoulders, forcing a small smile.

“You are… strangely talkative about this matter. I thought you would have told me to fuck off or something like that” Yeol commented chuckling, trying to make the mood lighter and Baekhyun snorted, finally meeting his stare.

“I wouldn’t be exactly the best date if I would tell you to fuck off, no?” he retorted and Yeol chuckled too, nodding toward Baekhyun’s hamburger.

“Finish eating so that you can take the pill. Is your shoulder hurting?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“It… stings a bit, but I think it’s bearable” he replied, but he took his hamburger in his hands finishing it in the shorter time possible.

Yeol chuckled again, shaking his head.

“You could have taken your time” he whispered and Baekhyun smiled at him softly.

He was about to reply something when Yeol stretched his hand toward Baekhyun, thumbs gently caressing his bottom lip, bringing it back to his own lips, licking it.

“You had sauce” Yeol simply breathed, but Baekhyun thought he missed a heartbeat.

“T-Thank you” he replied, stuttering for the first time in heavens knew how many years.

What the hell?

That wasn’t a real date and even if he was more than simply _fond_ of Yeol, he shouldn’t let himself go to idiocies and feelings.

And when exiting the restaurant he could finally light himself up a cigarette, Baekhyun dragged long on it, trying to numb all those useless thoughts that could only spoil his fun of that day.

The rest of the visit was… nice.

Yeol was naturally charming outside his work, smiling and laughing a lot, excited like a kid in seeing magic or 4D spectacles and Baekhyun enjoyed it too, even though quieter than him.

After the last ride, which was Space Fantasy, Yeol leant his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders, pulling him near.

“Thanks, I enjoyed today” he stated leaning slightly in and kissing the top of his head, making Baekhyun huff a soft laugh.

“You are… incredible, really. I sometimes wonder how a cute rich boy as you became part of a mafia gang. It’s the only thing I still don’t know about you” he whispered in reply and Yeol chuckled softly, stopping and making Baekhyun stop too.

They stood in front of each other, staring, waiting and then Yeol smiled softly at him, leaning in.

“Maybe another day?” he whispered before placing a short peck on his lips and Baekhyun sighed shortly.

“After I told you the story of my unfortunate life?” Baekhyun asked him but Yeol chuckled shortly, shaking his head and starting to walk again.

“Neither since I saved your life?” Baekhyun continued and this time Yeol slowed down the pace, but still didn’t stop.

“Don’t be dramatic now, you just got shot in your shoulder, you are not dead” Yeol stated but his tone was… wavering.

“Maybe I start feel not so good anymore…” Baekhyun added again and Yeol turned around immediately, nearing him making Baekhyun chuckled softy, hand caressing Chanyeol’s cheek.

“So no chance that you tell me something about it?” he asked him and Yeol sighed deeply, nodding.

“Let’s go back. It’s not a discourse that one can face without being at least a bit tipsy” he concluded taking his hand and walking toward the metro station.

Baekhyun followed him and they traveled almost completely in silence until the inn again.

Yeol neared the reception, smiling gently at the receptionist.

“Is it possible to have dinner in the room?” he asked her and she nodded shorty giving him a pamphlet with the details for room service and to call back whenever they were ready.

Baekhyun frowned shorty entering their room but Yeol laid down on the bed, on his back, reading the menu out loud.

“Oh, there’s also prawn tempura. It’s a while since last time…” he added and Baekhyun chuckled, laying down near him.

“So… tempura and?” he asked him and Yeol frowned shortly, thinking, eyes not leaving the menu.

“Up to some sushi sharing? There’s like… thirty-five pieces _gunkan_?” he retorted back and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“For sushi count me in. Love it” he replied and Yeol smiled at him briefly, starting to keep the count with his fingers.

“So prawn tempura, this sushi monster and then…” he started saying and Baekhyun hummed peeking on the menu.

“For me a dinner set A” he decided pointing on the menu and Yeol nodded, humming too in thought.

“I’ll go for the B then, so we can taste a bit of everything?” he proposed and Baekhyun nodded sitting up.

“I’ll call…” he started saying but Yeol pulled him down, keeping him near at him.

“Stay here a while longer. It’s still early for dinner” he whispered, hand stroking Baekhyun’s back and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, leaning in better in Yeol’s warmth.

“You… don’t have to tell me about why you became part of EXO if you don’t want to. I only wanted to tease you today” he muttered back but Yeol immediately shook his head, shortly, hand gently gripping slightly harder on Baekhyun’s t-shirt.

“No, you are right actually and you saved my life, shared part of your life with me, I should do it too” Yeol breathed making Baekhyun hum in thought.

“You don’t have to. I was just curious, but I don’t want to put you in a tight spot…” he started saying but Yeol shook his head again, finally sitting up.

“No need to worry. Just let me order dinner and we can talk about this” he concluded and Baekhyun sighed deeply, rolling on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

He would never say it out loud but he was tired and his shoulder ached a bit, but he was glad about that day, seeing Yeol so different form usual, enjoying himself and smiling like a kid.

It made Baekhyun feel… _happy_.

When the dinner arrived, Baekhyun realized that Yeol ordered also beer and sake.

“Let’s eat” he stated and Baekhyun sat on the tatami floor with him on the small table.

“You know, I… respected Park family once. To my eyes they were righteous people who wanted to protect this country and would have done whatever to stop crimes and injustices” Yeol started to say and Baekhyun nodded shortly, small smile appearing on his lips.

Yeol’s grandfather was _exactly_ like that.

One of the best lawyers in Seoul, righteous to the very core and incorruptible.

“But then, when gramps died, everything went down the hill. My parents and my uncles and aunties were… only interested in the money that Park family had. And I knew it wasn’t you the one who killed gramps. Because you were… like him, despite your work” Yeol started to say while eating and Baekhyun frowned, picking up another sushi.

“How… much do you know about me?” he asked him and Yeol let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“It’s not a good question, this. Ask me later, when I’m at my third beer and maybe you will get a reply” he whispered, before continuing to talk about how the story went after that.

“I… know that one of my family members killed him, but I didn’t have any evidence, any proof, so I went away from home, looking for replies and a place to stay since I wasn’t used at all at the _lone-wolf-life_ ” he stated gesturing the last three words with his fingers, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“And you met Myeon, right?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol nodded briefly.

“He taught me a lot of things, including how to fend for myself, to take care of my body, how to use my skills and abilities to do things that could improve other people’s lives” he declared and when on Baekhyun’s forehead there clearly was a frown, Yeol shook his head.

“Ah, no, don’t stare at me like that. Myeon could be a manipulator who wants to have everything under his control, but he’s also very kind with the community in Seoul. He holds charity events, he invested money that he got stopping some illegal traffics, in operations useful to the society, including building kindergarten, shelters and so on” Yeol stated, nodding shortly and Baekhyun hummed softly.

“A modern Robin Hood” he commented and Yeol chucked, nodding shortly.

“More or less, yeah” he whispered gulping down his third beer and slightly pushing the fried rice dish toward Baekhyun.

“You ate so few. Take some more” he stated and Baekhyun nodded, picking up the bowl and starting to eat from it, stare not leaving Yeol.

He had his cheeks red and he was clearly not so sober anymore.

“So… you left your family to join another family, EXO one” Baekhyun commented and Yeol nodded shortly.

“Hunnie is the brother I’ve never had” he replied softly making Baekhyun smile at him, nodding.

“EXO surely means a lot to you. I’m glad to hear that. It’s important to find your place in the world” Baekhyun added, emptying the bowl and opening up the sake too, pouring down a bit from himself and gesturing toward Yeol who nodded, stretching the short glass toward him.

Baekhyun poured the transparent liquid also in his and then smiled again.

“Cheers then… to family” he stated and Yeol frowned shortly.

“Yours wasn’t that…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, smiling at him.

“At yours at least” he commented and Yeol nodded briefly, clicking his glass with Baekhyun’s before they could both gulp down the sake, feeling it burning all the way down.

Baekhyun was pleased by the burning, nodding and pouring himself another one.

“You… changed a lot in these years” Yeol breathed after a moment of silence, all food almost over and only two bottle of sake and one beer remaining.

Baekhyun chuckled shortly, shaking his head.

“Ah really? I thought that I was always the same…” he commented briefly but Yeol shook his head, now clearly tipsy.

“Nope. You… were so fair, so kind and… Polite. Always wearing those dark suits, totally in contrast with your fair hair. And your fingers… so slender and beautiful” Yeol whispered, starting to rant instead of giving proper reply and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle.

“You are such a brat. Suits were because I couldn’t wear my usual clothes in your house, they would have kicked me out even before I reached the gates…” he started saying, nodding shortly and when Yeol tried to interject, Baekhyun shook his head.

“And jail didn’t make me any… gentler, unfortunately. Sorry for not being the fair prince of your memories” he concluded, forcing a short smile and Yeol hummed in thought.

“You are different. I didn’t say you were better before” he stated and when he sat up, he clearly staggered a bit so Baekhyun sat up to help him.

“Ah, in the end maybe I drank too much” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun smiled at him, helping him sitting down on the bed and then finally laying.

“No worries, Yeol. Relax. It was a tiring day for both of us. Thanks for telling me, tho” he whispered, caressing his hair, moving a strand lock from his forehead.

Yeol closed his eyes, humming in contentment while Baekhyun stroke his hair and in no more than two minutes, he was asleep.

Baekhyun picked up all the empty dishes and brought them down to the reception area.

“Ah, Mr. Byun… you shouldn’t have, thank you” one of the waitresses tell him and she was the same that were there the night before.

“I wanted to ask you also about the hot springs actually… Are they open in the night too? Because I didn’t want people to see…” Baekhyun started saying, vaguely gesturing his shoulder and the waitress nodded shortly.

“Yes, they are always open so that our guests can enjoy a bath at whichever hour. And most of yesterday’s guests went away, and it’s not high season for us in this period so if you go in a half hour you should be alone” she stated smiling at him and Baekhyun thanked her before going back to the room.

Yeol was sleeping soundly on the bed and Baekhyun smiled softly at the sight.

He took a change, and two towels and then he went to the hot springs.

He checked his injury, taping a bit of plastic wrap over the gauze to prevent water to soak the bandage in the springs, and then he went to soak in a bit.

Baekhyun washed himself shortly before finally soaking in, relaxing in the hot water, feeling all the muscles stretching and finally he leant his back on the rocks, natural borders of the spring pool when he under the starry sky.

It was… heaven and Baekhyun couldn’t feel any better.

October weather was cold but, in that moment, inside the hot spring, beneath that starry sky, Baekhyun felt in perfect harmony with everything.

He was relaxing in the water since almost forty minutes, only listening to the sound of the wind outside when the entrance door opened and Baekhyun frowned, moving slightly on the other side of the pool, farther from the entrance.

Baekhyun clicked his tongue, clearly pissed by someone being there but when he was about to move away and exit, when on the same side from where he entered, Yeol showed up only a towel wrapped around his waist.

Baekhyun relaxed shortly, gently moving again where he was.

“How are you feeling?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol jolted in surprise, pressing a hand on his chest.

“Ah, Baekhyun… it’s you. Heavens, I thought I was hallucinating” he whispered entering the spring too.

Baekhyun frowned shortly nearing him.

“Are you sure you are fine? You drank quite a bit” Baekhyun stated, worried, hand moving toward his face and Yeol took it in his hands, gently kissing his fingers.

“You are… sparkling” Yeol whispered, lips moving on the palm of Baekhyun’s hand, making Baekhyun shiver softly at the contact.

“Yeol? You sure you are…” he started saying but Yeol pulled him even nearer, hand gently caressing Baekhyun’s side.

“Want you so bad” Yeol muttered leaning down but Baekhyun pushed the hand that Yeol wasn’t holding in his, on his lips, stopping him.

“You are still super drunk, right? You shouldn’t be here, hot temperature makes you feel even dizzier” Baekhyun stated but Yeol shook his head, licking gently his fingers, making Baekhyun shiver again, biting his lips.

“I want you to touch me, Baek…” he breathed, making Baekhyun frown shortly but even before he could complain or say anything else, Yeol leant down softly, pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun sighed in the kiss, hands carding in Yeol’s hair, pulling him near.

There was _something_ in Yeol that called for Baekhyun.

Something that Baekhyun couldn’t refuse, couldn’t resist.

“You should…” Baekhyun started saying in the kiss, but Yeol bit his lips slightly harder.

“The moon is beautiful tonight, why wasting the chance?” Yeol breathed softly and Baekhyun inhaled deeply fingers carding through Yeol’s hair.

“We can’t do anything here, though… except a bit of…” he started saying but Yeol groaned lowly moving his lips on Baekhyun’s neck, slightly biting it, earning a soft moan in return from Baekhyun.

“There’s no one here… only me and you” he objected immediately, nearing him even more, and Baekhyun could feel Yeol’s warmth near him, sighing shortly.

“Yeol…” he tried to say again but Yeol pulled Baekhyun near him, plastering their bodies together, pressing his already hard erection against Baekhyun’s.

“I know you want this too” Yeol breathed, peppering kisses along Baekhyun’s neck up to his ear, biting it before his tongue started to play with Baekhyun’s piercing.

Baekhyun gripped harder his hands on Yeol’s sides, exhaling deeply.

He knew he would regret it _oh so much_.

But Yeol was so tempting and so beautiful, sparkling under the moonlight and the soft lights of the springs.

“You will be my end, I feel it…” Baekhyun breathed, fingers carding in Yeol’s hair and slightly gripping, feeling him bite his ear harder than before.

“I just want you to take me and fuck me as only you can do” Yeol replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world, making Baekhyun bit his lips before nodding.

“Not inside here, though” he stated and Yeol whined lowly.

“But I…” he started saying and Baekhyun slightly distanced him from Yeol, pushing again two fingers on his lips.

“Outside. There are the showers. There’s nobody now, but you have to be super quiet because every single noise echo loudly. Is that fine?” Baekhyun whispered and Yeol was already nodding shortly, making Baekhyun wonder if he really got the _being quiet_ part.

“Let’s go” Yeol whispered, taking Baekhyun’s hand in his but it was Baekhyun to lead them out of the springs and in the showers room once again, because Yeol was clearly still drunk.

Baekhyun was frowning looking at him perplexed, but Yeol smiled softly at him.

“I love when you take care of me like this…” he breathed and Baekhyun huffed shortly, shaking his head.

“I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be better to bring you back and…” he started saying but Yeol pushed him against the wall of the shower.

“Don’t tell me you don’t want me as I do” he whispered in his ear and Baekhyun’s hands went to Yeol’s sides, caressing him.

“Not wanting you…? It would be so easy to simply take you…” he wanted to say, but Yeol bit him again on his ear, harder than before, tongue immediately licking the reddening part.

“Then take me. What are you waiting for?” he muttered and Baekhyun bit his lips.

There was no reason to refuse him.

He was definitely consentient, while slightly drunk.

“You won’t complain tomorrow?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol chuckled softly, shaking his head, and… Baekhyun loved his way of smiling and chuckling _oh so much_.

“It’s easier that I’ll ask for more, tomorrow” he replied cockily and Baekhyun snorted shortly, hand moving to grip hard on Yeol’s ass, making him gasp shortly at the unexpected contact.

“Let’s see if you survive tonight” he whispered before leaning in and biting Yeol’s neck sucking a hickey over there.

It was unbelievably hot, probably a mix between the effects of the hot springs and Yeol so enthralling near him.

Baekhyun started caressing every single inch of Yeol’s skin, kissing and biting his neck, earning himself soft moan and hair pulls.

“A-Aren’t you taking to much your time?” Yeol asked him, groaning when Baekhyun squeezed again Yeol’s nipple, making him arch his back, looking for some friction also on his erection, but Baekhyun’s hand was gripping on his hip, keeping him at bay.

Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head, biting Yeol’s neck again.

“Want me to speed up things?” Baekhyun whispered, voice low and almost _purring_ near Yeol’s neck and he heard him gulping down before nodding shortly.

“And, precisely, what do you want me to do?” he asked him, fingers gingerly moving from his nipple, up to his neck, and then down again tracing the profile of his shoulder, his torso, his hipbones and resting on his hip, smile never leaving his lips, stare looking for Yeol’s, finding it dark and lustful.

Yeol’s skin was so smooth and warm under Baekhyun’s fingers, so perfect that Baekhyun could have done that and that only for all day long.

And before Yeol said that Baekhyun was sparkling, but in the moment the sparkling one was Yeol himself, waterdrops still running down his nape and his torso, shimmering in the neon lights of the showers room.

Once again, the realization hit Baekhyun as hard as the first time.

Yeol was perfect and sparkling as a diamond.

“Whatever you want, Baek…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun pressed his lips on Yeol’s lips, shaking his head.

“Do you want me to touch you more?” he asked him and Yeol nodded shortly and… how cute he was when he was that drunk and that honest with himself instead of putting on his usual smug façade?

Baekhyun smiled softly at him, teasing him a bit more.

“Where?” he inquired again and Yeol took Baekhyun’s hand in his, guiding it from his hip to his erection.

Baekhyun’s fingers gently caressed the tip, precum beads already forming on the top.

“Only touch you? Wouldn’t you prefer something more?” he asked him and when Yeol’s eyes went from Baekhyun’s fingers on his erection to Baekhyun’s eyes, Baekhyun moved his fingers too, bringing them to his own lips and slowly licking away the precum from them.

Yeol’s lips parted softly in awe and in want, red gently staining his cheeks.

And even before Baekhyun could get a clear reply from Yeol, he gently pushed him against the wall, getting on his knees, fingers already starting to touch and stroke Yeol’s erection.

Yeol groaned lowly, fingers caressing Baekhyun’s hair, pushing his head against the tiled of the shower.

“You have to be quiet, tho. You remember it?” Baekhyun asked him, shortly glancing up, seeing Yeol nod shortly in understanding.

Who knows if he would really manage.

Baekhyun leant in and started to lick Yeol’s erection, slowly starting from the base and up to the tip, stare not moving from Yeol’s face.

It was somehow _pleasing_ seeing Yeol enjoying whatever Baekhyun was doing.

Yeol groaned lower, biting his own lips, fingers carding through Baekhyun’s hair, gently pulling.

“Don’t take it too slow, Baek…” he breathed making Baekhyun smirk, before he could take Yeol’s erection in his mouth, wholly, shortly sucking on it.

Yeol closed his eyes, thrusting against Baekhyun’s warm mouth, another thing that Baekhyun liked of _that_ Yeol.

No asking if he could or not do something, letting himself go… Baekhyun couldn’t ask for anything more.

He simply moved one of his hand on the base of his erection, moving it accordingly with his sucks on it, and the other on Yeol’s balls, gently caressing and palming them.

“Baek” Yeol let out, lowly so low and so deep that Baekhyun felt it directly down his spine and thickening his own erection.

He hummed in reply, non-stopping his movements on Yeol’s erection, making him contain another low moan.

“I love when you suck me off” he breathed and Baekhyun wanted to let out a small chuckle but simply continued to do it, quickening the pace, more and more, feeling Yeol thrust deeper in his mouth, fingers gripping harder on his hair.

Suddenly, without any forenotice, Yeol came hot and thickly in Baekhyun’s mouth, moaning lowly, fingers not leaving Baekhyun’s hair for a second.

Baekhyun swallowed down every single drop, even if it was unexpected and kind of burnt his throat.

It was slightly saltier than usual.

Probably due to the alcohol?

Baekhyun stood up again, shortly cleaning his mouth with the back of his hand before caressing Yeol’s cheek.

“You okay?” he asked softly, since Yeol still had his eyes closed and was resting his head against the tiles.

“Your abilities are getting better, the world doesn’t stop spinning…” Yeol let out softly and Baekhyun snort shortly, shaking his head.

“I think that’s cause you are drunk and for a matter of blood pressure…” he started saying but Yeol’s fingers was already on his mouth.

“I’m not in my right mind now for… rational explanations” he whispered and Baekhyun sighed softly.

“Do you want me to…?” he started saying, wanting to propose him to bring him back in the room and let him lay down and sleep until the day after.

Or maybe the day after that too.

Yeol shortly shook his head, though.

“The only thing I want you to is to finally take me and stop turning around it. I’m just a bit tipsy, I’m fine and won’t pass out on you” Yeol breathed, even though Baekhyun wasn’t so sure about it.

“It’s too hot here, Yeol, and it makes you feel even more drunk than…” he tried to say but Yeol leant down on him kissing his shortly on his lips.

“What did I say? No rational explanations. Simply fuck me… don’t you want me too?” he asked softly breath caressing Baekhyun’s lips.

“You know that I always want you, Yeol. I just don’t want you to…” he tried again but Yeol placed another peck on his lips.

“I’ve also done a great job before arriving here” he stated, smirk slowly appearing on his lips and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“ _A great job_?” echoed perplexed and Yeol nodded shortly.

“Actually I didn’t thought you would be here, so I planned on… enjoy myself a bit after soaking a bit in the hot springs” he whispered, tone getting lower and Baekhyun’ fingers gently started to caress his hipbones, suddenly interested.

“So, you are saying that you already…?” he started saying, stare meeting with Yeol’s, dark and full blown, and he nodded softly.

“I want you, Baek” he breathed again and Baekhyun bit his own lips, before nodding shortly.

“How do you prefer?” he asked him and Yeol turned around without a word more, even if the reply was more than clear to Baekhyun.

“Bend a bit for me, will ya?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol obeyed immediately.

Baekhyun’s fingers went immediately to Yeol’s entrance, trying it, testing it, but Yeol made indeed a _great job_.

Baekhyun inserted two fingers without any resistance, making Yeol arch his back, pressing against the insertion and containing another moan.

“Oh… you did so well. Should I reward you?” Baekhyun asked him softly, leaning down and starting to kiss his shoulder blades and his nape, feeling Yeol shivering under him.

“Simply fuck me, Baek. I want to feel you coming inside me” he let out lowly, voice trembling with pleasure and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

And without any other words or thoughts, Baekhyun simply gently tugged his own erection before thrusting slowly inside Yeol.

It was… _hot_.

Inside Yeol but also everything else.

The air around them.

Yeol’s moans soft and clearly barely hold back.

How Yeol’s everything called for him, asking him more and to cherish and love everything of him.

Even when he knew that all those thoughts should be… as far as possible from him.

Because what there was between them it was only… physical.

And soon all of that would be over.

No space for feelings, fondness nor any other soft whatever Baekhyun was feeling in that moment.

He simply focused on Yeol and his pleasure, starting to thrust inside him less leisurely than before, starting a pace, making Yeol moan lower than before.

Strangely enough, a part for moans that threatened to exit from Yeol’s lips, Yeol managed to be almost silent.

“You are being so good” Baekhyun whispered, biting his nape, making Yeol arch his back more, letting Baekhyun thrust inside him better, hitting his prostate.

Yeol let out a low moan.

“Ah, Baek… there” he breathed, voice perfectly clear in the silence but still a small whisper.

And Baekhyun didn’t let him repeat himself, simply thrusting harder and faster inside him, feeling his own orgasm reaching closer and closer, erection getting thicker inside Yeol.

Baekhyun for a moment considered starting to stroke Yeol’s erection, easing his come too, but Yeol groaned lower, pressing better against Baekhyun’s thrusts, meeting his pace and setting it even faster.

“Baek, please…” he muttered and Baekhyun simply adapted to Yeol’s pace, feeling him shivering and moaning lower, coming in few more thrusts, a soft almost breathed mantra of Baekhyun’s name, squeezing Baekhyun’s erection even tighter inside himself.

Baekhyun groaned lowly, fingers gripping harder on Yeol’s sides, thrusting harder, now only catching up with his own release, that arrived sooner than expected and made him bite again Yeol’s shoulder, trying to muffle another low moan, coming hard inside him.

Yeol moaned too, pressing against Baekhyun’s thrusts.

“You are so good every time…” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun chuckled shortly shaking his head.

“It’s the beer speaking for you?” he asked back and when Yeol tried to reply, Baekhyun slowly exited him, making him shortly hiss at the friction.

“Let’s shower and let’s go back to the room, you already push your luck too much” Baekhyun added and Yeol nodded shortly.

Baekhyun helped him shower and then also to dress up again in the locker room.

Yeol leant on him all the way back to the room too.

“I really wonder why drinking so much if you knew that you can’t take this much?” Baekhyun whispered, gently laying him down on the bed, when they arrived in the room, earning himself a low groan from Yeol who covered his eyes with his arm.

“Maybe you are right and I’m a brat?” he asked back, even though there was a small silence before his reply and, to Baekhyun, it was clear that it wasn’t the real reason.

However, like the rest of thousand things that they continue to ignore, he feigned not noticing that time too.

“Finally you realize it too” he conclude, gently pressing his fingers on his own shoulders, feeling it aching a bit.

Yeol was heavy when not properly in control of his own body.

“Lay down with me?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed, laying down on the other side of the bed, Yeol immediately snuggling near him.

“Thanks” Yeol breathed softly and when Baekhyun inquired about what, Yeol was already snoring softly on his shoulder.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply.

There wasn’t anything to thank.

At least not for him.

He… fell in love with Yeol.

Yeol who was Park’s grandson.

He was part of a mafia gang.

He made clear since the very start that he had only a physical interest in Baekhyun.

And who probably could kill Baekhyun if Myeon ordered him to.

Baekhyun had to find a way out of that.

It would hurt like hell, but he didn’t have any other choice.

If his life wouldn’t be in danger anymore, EXO wouldn’t be part of his life anymore too.

And with it, also Yeol.

So maybe it could be a good idea starting from there.

Those few days in Japan passed relatively uneventfully.

Yeol dragged Baekhyun around Osaka to see… everything possible, but he couldn’t care less.

He enjoyed whatever activity Yeol wanted them to do together.

The important thing was… enjoying those last days.

Because Baekhyun was also trying to solve whatever mess the Russians started up, making him a free man when he would be back to Seoul.

He texted some old acquaintances to understand what could be happening and, in the meantime also Jongin, to keep him updated on everything he came to know.

And it didn’t come as surprise when Jongin texted him telling him that Igor was found dead in his office, probably suicide or something staged by Nam Enterprise.

After Igor’s death, it seemed that Jongin and some other policemen managed to arrest some of the higher ranks too, blocking like that every other plan the Russians may have had.

Baekhyun feigned not to know a thing about it.

But he knew that Myeon would face the matter at their return.

And so it was.

After the flight back, after few small details about what happened in Osaka, with both Baekhyun and Yeol leaving out the fact that Baekhyun was shot, Myeon finally told them.

“It seems that… Igor, head of the Russians, is dead and that the police arrested most of his men. Your life won’t be in danger anymore” he stated tentatively, clearly trying to understand how much Baekhyun knew about it, and Baekhyun hummed, feigning surprise.

“For once in a while, the cops did a good job apparently” he commented and Myeon nodded, forcing a short smile toward him.

“You know that if you will ever want to collaborate with us…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head.

“I told ya already. My life is clean now. I just want to keep up with my shop and my life” he replied, looking back at Myeon, not looking toward Yeol.

“Perfect. You can stay how long as you please before going back to your life. Same goes for Jondae, if he will feel like staying here, he’s always more than welcomed. It was a pleasure working with you” he concluded giving his hand to Baekhyun who shook it strongly.

“The pleasure was mine” he concluded before hinting a short bow and exiting the office.

Thankfully Myeon asked Yeol to remain with him to speak with some things and Baekhyun had the time to go and retrieve his own things from that room he lived in for the past months.

Somehow it felt weird going away without greeting anybody, especially Yeol, but Baekhyun hated parting with people.

Especially with Yeol.

He knew that if he would have met him again, he would surely faltered, trying to find another way to stay near Yeol even if that meant working again with Myeon.

And he couldn’t allow himself another idiocy like that.

Not when his first aim was still having an honest life with his shop and his work only.

Baekhyun knew that he would miss Yeol every single instant of his life out and, maybe, he already started missing him.

However, that was the right way for both.

He went in the underground parking and loaded his car before driving back to his old apartment.

He didn’t even consider start unpacking, Baekhyun simply went back to his shop and closed himself inside, simply texting Jondae and telling him that now their lives weren’t in danger anymore, but that he could stay in EXO house nevertheless, if he wanted to, for how long he wanted.

Permission granted by Myeon himself.

Only after an hour, more or less, his phone rang in his pocket, and when he interrupted his work on a ring he was working on to pick it up, Yeol’s ID was showing on the screen.

He inhaled deeply before accepting the call.

“Hey” he stated and on the other side there was a huff.

“You already went away? Without greeting?” Yeol asked him back and Baekhyun sighed shortly.

“You heard Myeon, no? My life is not in danger anymore. Didn’t want to disturb more than I already did in these past months…” he stated shortly shrugging his shoulders and lighting himself a cigarette up.

“Yeah, sure, sure. Where are you now? Can we meet?” he asked him again and Baekhyun bit his lips.

“Did I forget something there?” he retorted and there was a small silence before Yeol replied negatively.

“Then we don’t have reasons to meet, right?” he continued trying to push away all the feelings that were washing over him in that moment, especially hearing Yeol’s low voice, and Yeol hummed softly in thought.

“Yeah, I suppose we don’t have, no. It was a pleasure, see you around?” Yeol stated and Baekhyun felt an aching in his chest area, but promptly ignore it.

It was the best way, the _right_ one, especially considering that Yeol didn’t have any feeling for Baekhyun while Baekhyun have enough for both of them, probably.

And it was better for enough if Baekhyun did the _old_ part in their unfortunate duo and put an end to whatever it was between them.

“Yeah, thanks for everything. See ya round” he concluded, closing the call and resting his head on the back of the chair where he was sitting.

Baekhyun’s life wasn’t in danger anymore.

Yeol knew that what happened to his grandfather wasn’t Baekhyun’s doing.

So no… no other reason to meet.

Everything was settled as it was and Baekhyun had to convince himself that _that_ was the right way to end things.

Because Yeol didn’t have feelings for him, but he did and he had so many that he could probably write a book.

And it would only hurt later on the run.

So better ending whatever that was before it would get too personal and… unmotivated.

No other reasons for them to be together any longer.

For months, he didn’t hear of EXO and Yeol again, if not from some small discourses with Jondae that went back to live where he lived before, but went there with Xiumin.

His life was back to normal, same things, tending the shop, creating new things, taking commissions and so on.

He missed Yeol, obviously, he would be a liar telling that he didn’t, but he wasn’t neither destroyed by the absence.

Unfortunately, Baekhyun went through too much shit and he was… used to hurt.

Most of the time he didn’t think about it, about Yeol and everything else, but when he did, few beers or few glasses of whiskey were good to make it pass.

Yeol didn’t call him back nor went to visit him and Baekhyun didn’t look for him either.

Everything went back as before of EXO and before Yeol and Hun showed up the first time in his shop.

Even though…

One day Baekhyun received a letter of invitation to a party.

On a yacht.

Coming directly from Park family.

He sighed deeply, shaking his head, gripping harder on the phone in his hands.

Baekhyun composed Jongin’s number without even thinking about it.

And when he replied Baekhyun didn’t even greet him.

“What if… we considered things from the wrong point of view?” he asked him, making Jongin spat out a sleepy _what?_

Baekhyun sighed deeply, fingers carding through his hair and lighting himself a cigarette.

“Parks sent me an invitation to a party. On a yacht” Baekhyun stated and Jongin on the other side almost choked on his own breath probably.

“They _what_?” he echoed but Baekhyun knew that he understood correctly what he said in the previous sentence.

There was a small silence and then Jongin sighed deeply too.

“Don’t go. I’ll send someone under cover and try to understand what is happening” Jongin stated but Baekhyun snorted shortly.

“Yeah sure, because you think that if I don’t go something will happen? They know that I know the same things they do. And they probably know that I helped you solving _things_ with the Russians” Baekhyun objected immediately, making Jongin hum in thought.

“You think they are… involved somehow with the Russians and with them wanting to kill you for _reasons you never explained me_?” Jongin breathed annoyed and Baekhyun sighed deeply, finishing his cigarette before pressing it on the ashtray on the desk.

“The diamond I stole from Parks… I still have it” he stated and Jongin groaned in frustration.

“For fuck’s sake, _hyung_ , what were you waiting for telling me? It’s a big deal this!” he retorted immediately and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, sighing again.

“I know but it’s not like I could tell you out of the blue without a context and, fuck, Jongin you are still a cop” he objected, fingers messing his hair up before lighting himself another cigarette.

“I’m your friend before that, and you know that as I helped you out of jail, I wouldn’t tell anybody about it either” Jongin immediately added but Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Let’s move back to the original matter. I have to go there… send me a backup?” Baekhyun stated and Jongin huffed a laugh, clearly amused by the technical terms.

“You won’t do anything stupid, right?” Jongin asked him but Baekhyun was already reassuring him.

“I just want this thing closed. I want to live my life with my shop and that’s it” he replied, sighing in exasperation and he really wanted it to be over once and for all.

Because he wanted to simply live his life.

And for a second considered calling Yeol to tell him about Park and about the party and things not being over yet.

But it was only a second.

Then affection and worry took the best of him.

It was dangerous and implied seeing Yeol’s family again.

Better not call him even if Baekhyun knew he could trust only Yeol’s help and not whoever Jongin would have sent him as help.

Baekhyun sighed again shaking his head and smoking the end of his cigarette in a flash.

“Fine, thanks. Send you all the details” he concluded before hanging up, even if now his thoughts were trailed on Yeol.

Who knows how he was doing?

If he ever thought about Baekhyun or if it was all in the past and it was like he and Baekhyun never even met.

And suddenly, instead of closing the shop up and going to drown his feelings with some beer, he thought of that garnet that remembered him of Yeol’s lips.

He picked it up from the safe and for the next six hours he worked on it creating a golden bracelet with that mounted.

Baekhyun sighed deeply while cleaning it and finding an adequate box for it.

What did he do, that time, in letting Yeol that near?

Accepting the younger’s playful behaviors?

Letting Yeol so near to hold him and in the meantime to hurt him so deep like nobody probably ever did before?

For the first time in his adult life, Baekhyun felt like he could cry.

However, he shook his head, closing the box and making it disappear in one of the many drawers of the desk, shutting it there, together with his feelings and all the memories he had with Yeol.

Baekhyun wasn’t like that.

Baekhyun wouldn’t give a damn, he would simply forget about Yeol and walked for his path again, like nothing happened.

Yet.

Why he still thought about him, missed him, wondered if he was good, if Myeon didn’t assign him too dangerous tasks and so on?

Why he still remembered the shapes of his body and didn’t look for any other partner, neither for a one-night thing?

Baekhyun sighed in frustration, shaking his head and messing his hair up.

He still was too screwed up for Yeol.

Better drink on it and think about that yacht party and what Parks wanted from him.

Apparently, the party was planned on a yacht out Incheon.

Not distant from the port.

Baekhyun went to Incheon few days earlier to keep an eye on the movements, even the less suspicious.

The yacht was there even when he arrived and the day after, people started to go and come from it, probably starting to prepare the whole setting and so on.

Parks arrived the night before the party and Baekhyun recognized most of them, even if he was sure that they didn’t age well as wine.

The night before, he received also a call from Jongin.

“My backup will be there at seven tomorrow, meet him at the pier. He will have a blue suit and a silver mask” he stated and Baekhyun agreed with him.

As soon as it was over…

And the following night, he was dressed up like probably never before.

He wore a satin black suit, with a silk necktie and a black and silver mask.

With the invitation in his hands, his gun secured in his back and his ashtray and cigarette in his pockets, Baekhyun was ready.

He was waiting on the pier, stare looking for Jongin’s back up when suddenly someone, pressed an hand on his back, exactly on where he was keeping the gun, and pressed toward the check-in area.

Even before he could turn around to see what was happening, the stranger leant in speaking in his ear.

“Act natural, I know you can” Yeol’s voice whispered and Baekhyun had to hide a shiver at the deep voice so near him, after those many months.

“What…?” he started saying turning toward him, but Yeol pressed him gently again toward the man that was checking their invitations.

“Welcome on board” he stated, after checking Baekhyun’s invitation, and gesturing them to enter and when they were on, Baekhyun took Yeol’s hand and pulled him in a corner.

He was… stunning.

Golden suit and brown necktie, a perfect match with his dark hair and gold mask.

Baekhyun wanted to pull him down and kiss him forgetting where they were and all the rest.

“Care to explain?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol shrugged his shoulders.

“I could ask you the same…” he replied but Baekhyun’s fingers went immediately on his lips, stopping him.

“Go away. It’s not the right place to be tonight” he breathed but Yeol snorted, shaking his head.

“Only if you come with me. Otherwise I’ll stay too” he whispered and when Baekhyun was about to reply because, no, he wasn’t up to screw all his plans just for Yeol’s sudden appearance, Yeol took Baekhyun’s hand in his, gripping shortly.

“You won’t trust anybody but me, I know. So let me stay until the end” he breathed, smiling softly toward Baekhyun who inhaled deeply, before nodding shortly.

“Don’t mess things up, behave and don’t cause problems nor look for dangers” Baekhyun stated before jerking off his hand from Yeol’s grip and walking away where all the other persons were.

Having Yeol there make him feel more at ease and worried in the meantime.

The evening started out quietly, almost uneventfully even though there were some episodes of people getting drunk and so on.

“Are you sure they won’t recognize you?” Baekhyun asked toward Yeol while they were leaning on the gunwale, sipping sparkling wine.

Yeol chuckled softly shaking his head.

“Is this your only worry?” Yeol asked him but Baekhyun shook his head, shifting his stare away.

“How did you know about this?” Baekhyun inquired again and Yeol hummed briefly.

“Jondae told Xiumin that you bought _a suit for the very first time in your life_. And after that that you wouldn’t be in Seoul for few days” Yeol started saying, counting happening on his fingers.

“When exactly did you become friend with Dae?” Baekhyun wondered, frowning deeply, but Yeol let out a soft chuckle, one of those that made Baekhyun fell in love with him.

“When? Probably when I started going out with him because Hunnie and _hyung_ pitied me enough to bring me around with them?” he retorted, shaking his shoulders like it wasn’t his problem, but Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“They pitied you?” he echoed and Yeol chuckled again, nodding.

“Apparently _like a kicked puppy_ ” he stated gesturing his words with his fingers and Baekhyun frowned shortly, another question on his lips, but they were neared by a tall man, with pushed back black hair and Yeol’s same identical ears.

Father? Or maybe his uncle?

“Mr. Byun, I’m glad to see that you received our invitation. Are you enjoying your evening?” he asked him and Baekhyun hinted a small bow, nothing much.

“I was surprised by the invitation, actually. But, indeed it’s a nice party, thanks for inviting me in. Can I introduce you my bodyguard?” he replied, gesturing toward Yeol who bowed deeply near him.

There was a small silence and the man spoke up again.

“There is a reason why we decided to invite you here tonight” he started saying and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“I would have never said. Such a surprise” he commented, voice monotone, before sipping some more sparkling wine.

“Later, around eleven, come to the second floor. You can bring him with you if you want” he concluded before walking away and starting to greet other persons.

Baekhyun sighed shortly, shifting his stare outside on the night sky.

Stars and moon were shining brightly above them and Baekhyun thought that, after all, if that was destined to be his end, it wouldn’t be that bad.

He lighted himself a cigarette, dragging longer on it.

Did the man recognize Yeol?

Was he in danger?

Baekhyun would be able to protect him that time too?

“I can feel your thoughts from here, Baek” Yeol whispered near him, making Baekhyun sigh even deeper than before, shaking his head.

“Ignore them. We have a work to do and… I still don’t know why you are here, but try not to get yourself killed” he breathed, pressing the cigarette on his portable ashtray and he was about to walk away when Yeol took his wrist, gently pulling him back.

And before Baekhyun could ask him whatever was happening, Yeol leant in, whispering in his ear.

“Told ya. Need to speak with you and I’m sure this is the best place” he stated while Baekhyun was shaking his head.

“It’s the worst place. Why didn’t you come to the shop…?” he started saying but Yeol pressed a finger on his lips, shutting him up immediately.

“Let’s go see what’s up on the second floor? We don’t want to be unprepared for later no?” he asked him and Baekhyun sighed deeply again, nodding.

Unfortunately, Yeol was right and they had to focus on that before anything else.

Using a bit of movement, people dancing and so on, Baekhyun and Yeol managed to move on the upper floor, exploring what was happening around.

“I bet this is the main room where they hold meetings” Yeol started saying softly and Baekhyun turned around to see where Yeol was gesturing him, but he realized that someone was coming upstairs too.

Baekhyun sighed shortly and… why Yeol again?

Baekhyun gently pushed him toward the wall, pressing his lip together with Yeol’s and, heavens, if he missed them.

How many time they kissed before so that Baekhyun could remember perfectly their shape, their taste?

He felt Yeol’s hands gripping on his sides, pulling him near, and he bit Yeol’s bottom lips, almost forcing his tongue in.

Yeol’s cologne was different from usual but his scent was the same, so nostalgic and so calling for Baekhyun, waking up all those stupid feelings he had great care in drown with alcohol at night.

He pulled out unwillingly when he realized that there was another person on their same floor, a young man.

“I-I was looking for the toilets” he breathed, cheeks red and flushed.

“Downstairs, near the kitchen” Baekhyun replied softly, smile never leaving his lip and the young man disappeared immediately down the stairs.

“It remembered me of our first mission together” Yeol whispered near him and Baekhyun simply nodded, moving apart from him, finally pushing the door open and entering in a round room, all wood and glass, with nobody inside.

“Luxurious” Yeol let out and Baekhyun shortly nodded, fingers gently caressing the profiles of the wooden desk, eyes searching, looking.

“There are two safes here, a locked drawer and… what’s this?” Baekhyun whispered gesturing behind a painting, the small closet near the whiskeys and other drinks, the desk and then leaning down, disappearing behind one of the couches.

On the floor, partially hidden under the couch there was a briefcase, black, and Baekhyun scrunched his nose.

The only thing it could be in his mind, was way too dangerous.

Yeol neared him but Baekhyun shooed him away with his hand.

And when Yeol frowned not understanding, Baekhyun slowly forced opened the briefcase, revealing a timer bomb.

Baekhyun clicked is tongue and Yeol sighed deeply.

“Is it really necessary?” he asked rhetorically and Baekhyun sighed shortly, shaking his head.

“It’s not… activated yet, tho. And I bet it is for us, later” Baekhyun added softly, making Yeol nod near him.

“So what do we do?” he asked him and Baekhyun inhaled shortly, closing it up again and pushing it again under the couch.

“Wait. It’s the only way” he breathed in reply, sitting up from where he was kneeling down, and meeting Yeol’s worried stare.

“We can’t be here…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Don’t you want to know all the truth about your grandfather’s death? Here’s the only place and maybe the only time you will be able to hear it” he asked him and Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity before nodding shortly.

“Then let’s wait here and you will have your reply” Baekhyun concluded sitting on one of the couches in front of the one where there was the briefcase.

There was a small silence and then Baekhyun inhaled deeply.

“You shouldn’t have come here” he stated briefly, not looking toward him.

“I know you would be here” Yeol replied immediately like it was a good excuse to see his family after years of silence, boarding a yacht without any invitation and knowing that someone could potentially kill him, ending up with having a bomb almost placed under their asses.

In the real sense of the word.

“It’s not a…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol sat down near him shaking his head.

“Can we talk about this later?” he asked him briefly and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“Why not now?” he retorted, eyes searching for Yeol’s, but he evaded his stare in grand style.

“Yeol…” Baekhyun whispered and when Yeol didn’t turn around, Baekhyun sighed shortly.

“Chanyeol, will you look at me and tell me why you can’t speak up now but only later?” Baekhyun breathed, fingers moving on his own to gently caress his cheek and Yeol leant into the warmth of Baekhyun’s hand.

“You are the worst, Baekhyun” he simply breathed in reply, quickly glancing toward him, but moving his stare away immediately and… were those tears?

And Baekhyun wanted to inquire any further, asking explanations, because even in the worst situations he never saw Yeol crying.

It must have been something important.

Maybe something concerning EXO?

However, in the same moment he opened his mouth to ask, the door opened too, and from there entered the current head of Park family, his wife, the man from before, another woman and… a bodyguard or something like that?

“You find the place yourself” the man from before stated and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Interesting place. Good sofa, by the way” he replied smug smile playing on his lips.

“Let’s get directly to the main matter of today’s meeting, what do you say?” the man from before continued and Baekhyun nodded.

“Let’s make it an equivalent exchange” Baekhyun stated, stare moving on every single person on the room, excluding Yeol.

“Fair enough” the man replied before lighting himself a cigar.

“Where’s our diamond?” he asked toward Baekhyun who chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Ah, that’s so bad. Directly like this? Without any foreplay? Without any spicy details before?” he asked shortly, shrugging his shoulders amused by how whoever that man was, was convinced to be some kind of boss acting all high and mighty.

Baekhyun lighted himself a cigarette, dragging longer on the first drag, puffing out the smoke in the opposite direction of where Yeol was sitting.

“The diamond” the man repeated and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders shortly.

“Why are you so sure I still have it? I sold it to the black market after exiting from jail. It was a piece too hot to remain in my hands” Baekhyun replied briefly, studying the reaction of the man in front of him.

“We are sure you didn’t” the man added and Baekhyun let out a small _oh_ in surprise.

“You are _sure_ I didn’t. That’s interesting, indeed. What if I told you where the diamond is?” he started saying feeling Yeol’s restlessness near him.

“An equivalent exchange” the man replied and Baekhyun hummed interested.

“Then tell me why you killed old man Park. Because me being framed for that crime is… obvious enough” he stated and in that moment the woman near the man from before chuckled, shaking his head.

“Jaehyung, dear, he’s smarter than you apparently” the woman said and _Jaehyung_ frowned shortly but let her speak up.

“Because… father was old-minded, still rooted in moral codes and too young and too sane to die a natural death” she stated shortly and Baekhyun hummed in thought.

“Ah, you must be Chun-ja, old man Park _lovely_ daughter” Baekhyun whispered, remembering some brief encounters while he was in Park mansion to see Yeol’s grandfather.

The woman nodded shortly, snorting at the description.

“Father loved me so much and yet, he was so strict and so unbending on everything right and moral and didn’t want to help us getting better jobs or better social position using his name or his money. He had so much… where was the problem in using a bit for his own sons and daughters?” she continued and Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding.

“So… money. Because his leading wasn’t representative of your idea of _Park family_ , right?” Baekhyun asked them and Chun-ja nodded briefly, together with the others.

There was a small moment of silence and then Baekhyun smiled shortly.

“And you are sure I didn’t sell the diamond. What about police? Or jail? I was in a lot of places these past years” he asked them and Chun-ja shook her head.

“We have… influences in the police and we know that nobody took it…” she started saying but Baekhyun stopped her briefly with his hand.

“It wasn’t in my possession to start with. When they arrested me, I didn’t have it, you can check the reports” he retorted, shrugging his shoulders and she frowned shortly, biting her lips.

“What are you trying to say?” she asked him back and Baekhyun chuckled softly.

“If I didn’t have it, it means that I hid it before being arrested” he replied like it was the most obvious things in the world and her eyes went wider in realization.

“At home?” she whispered and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders again.

“Did you look adequately? Or…?” he asked them but Jaehyung was losing his patience.

“Tell us where you put it!” he exclaimed making Baekhyun let out a chuckle, shaking his head.

“Otherwise? You will kill me?” he asked him, sitting up and pulling out his gun, putting it on the small table in front of him before sitting down again.

“I want you to exit completely from my life, no more plays, no more murders because I know that you ordered them to the Russian. Captain Kim told me” he stated picking up another cigarette and lighting it up.

He dragged longer on it, stare not leaving Jaehyung and Chun-ja.

“I’m getting older and tired of play childish games with equally childish people who can’t even look properly in their house. It’s the most obvious reply, you dumbass. I didn’t have it when I arrived at the police and I didn’t go anywhere after stealing it and before calling the police so which is the only possibility left?” he asked them, stare getting colder and changing the tone of his voice too.

“And just for you to know, this is not an equivalent exchange from the very start. Because thanks to Captain Kim’s squad efforts it seems that there’s a really nice footage of one of you killing old man Park. Apparently he was more clever than all of you” Baekhyun continued finishing his cigarette and pressing it in his small portable ashtray.

All that farce was almost hilarious.

Parks knew nothing about the diamond, about the police… nothing.

“And as if this is not enough, your own son works with me now? Isn’t it the best?” Baekhyun asked gently gesturing toward Yeol who nodded shortly, before removing his mask and making Chun-ja gasp in surprise.

“Chanyeol? Is it really you…? You are so… different” she started saying and Yeol nodded shortly again.

“It was nice finally knowing why you killed grandpa. I knew you all were shit, but I didn’t think it was… since this long” he breathed and she tried to say something but Baekhyun sat up.

“Well, if this is all, we will go” he stated and Jaehyung shook his head.

“Not this fast, Byun” he stated picking up his own gun too.

Baekhyun had his in his hands immediately too, pointing toward him.

“Don’t you dare…” Baekhyun started saying but Jaehyung gestured toward his bodyguard that picked up the briefcase with the bomb.

“You won’t go anywhere, Byun. Nor you nor us… nobody!” he declared opening the briefcase and his own family members were scared about it, clearly fruit only of his thought and not something planned from all the Parks.

They started shouting each other things of their lives that they probably never told each other and the Jaehyung, trying to take it off from Chun-ja’s hands, activated the bomb that started counting down from ten minutes.

“Ah, this is bad…” Baekhyun muttered taking Yeol’s hand in his and going toward the exit of the room, but Jaehyung called his name again.

“Byun! I’ll kill you!” he stated pointing his gun toward him and Baekhyun pushed Yeol out of the room, before shooting too in the same moment of Jaehyung.

Baekhyun hit him on the leg, making him crouch down, whining in pain, but Jaehyung hit him too, on the shoulder, even if way more superficially than the previous time.

“Baek!” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun pulled his hand and started running down the stairs, speed dialing Jongin’s number.

“Send help, a lot of rafts or boats. There’s a bomb on the yacht. I’ll evacuate everyone” he stated and Jongin replied with a brief _roger_ before hanging up.

“Let’s save some lives too?” Baekhyun whispered forcing a soft smile toward Yeol who nodded shortly.

Followed five minutes of panic and convincing people that the danger was real seemed to be the hardest part.

But when they were all in the water, Baekhyun took again Yeol’s hand.

“Just us two?” he asked him softly, stare not leaving his, and Yeol nodded shortly.

“At my three?” he proposed and Baekhyun beamed at him before nodding.

And at Yeol’s three, they both jumped in the water that was ice cold just in time to hear the yacht behind them exploding, fire crackling high in the night sky.

When they emerged Baekhyun felt his pocket looking for the ashtray, sighing deeply when he found it still in his pockets.

Yeol had all his hair pushed back and wet as he was, he was sparkling of silver and bluet and Baekhyun couldn’t stare away.

Because he was… stunningly beautiful.

“You are sparkling” Yeol let out softly, hand moving to caress Baekhyun’s cheek softly, making him bit his lips, shaking his head and making gesture to distance Yeol’s hand from his face, but Yeol got nearer, pulling Baekhyun closer to him.

“I should have told you that night… Both when you got shot in my place, and when we went to the hot springs, but I was a coward” Yeol started to say and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“What are you…?” he started saying but Yeol smiled at him like nothing else mattered except Baekhyun.

“I love you” he muttered and, no, Baekhyun had to be mistaken.

“You what?” he retorted and Yeol leant in, whispering in his ears _I love you Baekhyun_ , making him miss an heartbeat, feeling in an instant all the strength of his repressed feelings.

“You really do?” he asked him and Yeol nodded softly.

“I thought a lot about everything while we were apart and… I don’t care about anything else but you, Baek” he replied softly, fingers going to caress Baekhyun’s cheek.

“I… can we speak about this when we will be out of here, maybe with warm clothes on?” Baekhyun breathed and Yeol pressed his lips in a thin line, shifting his stare away and nodding shortly.

“Hey” Baekhyun called him while he was almost moving toward one of the boats that started to arrive, gentle courtesy of Jongin.

“Chanyeol” he called him again when Yeol ignored him, but this time he turned around shortly, forcing a brief smile.

“I… love you too. I just think this is not the right way to speak about it” he whispered and Yeol shook his head shortly.

“You don’t have to worry. I… just wanted you to know, don’t feel pressured by it. I understand if for you it’s not the…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun pressed a finger on Yeol’s lips.

“I do, Chanyeol. And since way before you can imagine” he breathed and even before Yeol could comment Baekhyun picked up his ashtray, showing it to Yeol.

“You don’t believe me, right? Then… I’ll entrust you my dearest secret” Baekhyun stated giving the ashtray to Yeol.

Yeol frowned shortly but Baekhyun chuckled.

“Don’t lose it, it’s worth thousand billion dollars probably” he added and Yeol’s eyes went wider in surprise at the sudden realization.

“Baekhyun, what…” he started saying but Baekhyun smiled at him.

“Let’s go home so that I can show you?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol nodded shortly before humming and giving back the ashtray to Baekhyun.

“I can’t keep it in this moment. I’m too afraid of losing it” he muttered as explanation and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding briefly taking it back.

“A great responsibility right?” he noted and Yeol nodded briefly, still a bit perplexed and surprise and maybe… fascinated too.

With the help of Jongin and some other policemen they managed to save literally everybody’s lives except Jaehyung, his bodyguard and few other members of Parks family.

Chun-ja was alive, but being almost the only alive member she was prosecuted for the crimes and the bomb.

The yacht burned a while before firemen could extinguish it.

But it wasn’t Baekhyun and Yeol’s problems that, after a brief meeting with Jongin in which he mainly scolded Baekhyun for going in alone, for provoking Parks and for being his usual cocky self, they went back to Baekhyun’s hotel in Incheon for those few days.

“We have to treat also that…” Yeol started saying gesturing Baekhyun’s shoulder but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Let me have a shower and later we can talk about what you want” he stated and Yeol nodded briefly.

They took turns for the shower, and then Baekhyun patted the couch, sitting down too.

Yeol sat near him fingers moving to disinfect Baekhyun’s injury before applying a small gauze.

“How come you always injure yourself protecting me?” Yeol asked him softly and Baekhyun let out a short chuckle.

“He wanted to kill me this time not you” he retorted briefly but Yeol was already shaking his head.

“As if you didn’t realize that he would shoot me and not you from that position” he objected immediately and Baekhyun sighed deeply, nodding.

“At least it’s not the same shoulder?” he added, jokingly but Yeol frowned deeply before leaning down and place a soft kiss on Baekhyun’s shoulder, making him blush shortly.

He moved his hands to his ashtray, retrieving his own keys too.

With the smallest one, he opened the secret compartment, revealing the silver velvety bag that hid the diamond.

“How come is dry despite the dive?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun smiled briefly, showing him as the ashtray was made to be watertight.

Yeol let out an admired _oh_ and Baekhyun chuckled softly, picking up the small bag, opening it and revealing the blue diamond.

“You… always had it with you” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“When I realized what was happening, I… hid the diamond. Even if not in their house how I told them. It would be too much of a hassle going to retrieve it later. And police stored this as ashtray when they took my thing for the time I was sent to jail. When I exited, I retrieve it as ashtray. Nobody knows it apart of me… and you, now” he explained shortly briefly, giving the diamond to Yeol who took it even if his fingers were trembling.

“Why… why are you telling it to me?” Yeol whispered stare moving from the diamond back to Baekhyun.

“Because I trust you. With this and… with my feelings for you. I’ve never loved anybody else like I love you, Chanyeol” he breathed and Yeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity before Baekhyun could see his cheeks slightly stained of red.

“I-I… for me it’s the same” he started saying before giving back the diamond to Baekhyun who put it back in its original place.

“I… thought a lot while we were distant. About you, about an us that wasn’t supposed to exist since we were together just for reasons that went beyond our will. And playing around together it was fun at the beginning, because I have to admit that our physical compatibility is… heavenly” Yeol started to say, voice low and deep, serious like Baekhyun probably never heard it.

“Indeed, it is. I’ve never felt so attracted to anyone else and… never felt as good as when we were together” Baekhyun agreed softly, earning himself a small smile from Yeol.

“However, I realize too late that it wasn’t only that. It hurt when you went away that day, without greeting, simply taking your things and disappearing. And there were so many things I wanted to tell you when I called you, asking to meet…” Yeol breathed, voice getting even lower and softer, almost imperceptible even in the silence of the room.

“Maybe for your it was different and I was just deluding myself like one of those cheesy teenagers?” he added shaking his head, scrunching his nose clearly not liking the idea.

“You missed the pink-colored vision and the cherry blossom” Baekhyun commented chuckling but Yeol inhaled shortly, shaking his head.

“I think I had both. The pink thing because even if I didn’t realize it soon, every time I saw you, my heart fluttered and everything seemed better, almost rosier?” he whispered softly and even before Baekhyun could comment, he shook his head.

“And the cherry blossom when I realized that I had to do something otherwise I would never see you again” he whispered and Baekhyun frowned shortly, words already on his lips.

“What does it…?” he started saying but Yeol bit his lips, shaking his head again.

“I wanted to talk to you two weeks ago and went to your shop. You were… outside smoking under that big cherry tree near the jjajangmyeon shop. And the whole imagine was so pretty I couldn’t near you and simply went away, promising myself to find another chance to tell you” Yeol explained softly and Baekhyun remembered that day too.

It was still cold for being spring and the small jjajangmyeon was having problems with the blowers so they put out some signs kindly asking to customers to smoke outside.

And Baekhyun loved that tree a lot too, especially in Spring because it was so pretty all pink and that rustling sound in the wind, making the petals fall like snow.

“Was it too pretty?” Baekhyun echoed and Yeol nodded shortly, forcing a small smile.

“You are… more than your physical appearance, more than our physical synchronicity. I was struck with how much I love you in that moment that I thought that even if I reached out for you, I wouldn’t be able to speak up more than two words” Yeol explained softly and Baekhyun hummed shortly in thought.

It seemed so impossible in that moment that Yeol was really in love with him too.

“You make me feel soft, Baekhyun. And I’m not used to it. So I was afraid of whatever this could be, but I’m more afraid of not seeing you anymore again, of not sitting again together in my car with you driving us somewhere, while humming old jazz songs, of waking up without you around and not because your life is not in danger anymore, but because you are not part of my life anymore” Yeol added, hands finally reaching Baekhyun’s and gently gripping on them.

There was a small silence and then Yeol let out a soft chuckle.

“You didn’t expect such a sugary confession, uh?” he asked him but Baekhyun chuckled softly, moving his hand to caress Yeol’s cheek.

“I can’t tell anything about being this… _sweet_. Because I feel the very same for you. Especially for the last part. I’m not used of feeling soft, almost weak, around people, but you entered in my life, signing it so deeply, that even when you were supposed to leave, you stay there, in my heart, every waking hour and every dream at night. I’ve never _longed_ for another person. I was always fine by myself and my occasional one-night stands” Baekhyun started saying, thumbs gently stroking Yeol’s cheek.

“However, I missed you. Every single instant we were apart. I wasn’t fine alone anymore. I wanted _you_ again in my life, even though, as you did, I felt like it wasn’t possible and I was deluding myself with feelings you didn’t have” Baekhyun explained too, feeling slightly uncomfortable too in showing those feeling to Yeol, telling him how miserable he felt without him around.

There was another brief silence and then Baekhyun inhaled deeply.

“What… will be of this?” he asked him briefly and, at Yeol’s frown, Baekhyun cleared his throat, shifting his stare away.

“I… still want to live a normal life, no more illegal things, nor thieveries nor killing people. I’m… too old for this” he breathed in explanation and Yeol huffed in exasperation.

“You are not old” he started saying and when Baekhyun glared at him, he pressed his fingers on Baekhyun’s lips.

“But I understand what you are saying. And… I’ve already spoken with Myeon” he breathed and Baekhyun frowned deeply, clearly not understanding what Yeol meant.

“You spoke with Myeon about what?” he asked him and Yeol smiled softly.

“About how I feel for you and my will to respect your choices in life, including not having anything to do with illegal matters and so on” he replied like it was the most obvious thing and Baekhyun’s eyes went larger in perplexity.

“And what did he say?” Baekhyun asked him briefly, fearing the reply.

“That I’m grown up sufficiently to know if this is real love or not. And that he would pursue it, if it was me. He was… sad because I told him I would go away, but he understood my decision and asked to both not to be strangers and sometimes go and greet him” he replied honestly, smile not leaving his lips and Baekhyun couldn’t believe his ears.

“You, I mean, can we really? EXO is your second family after all and you consider it dear to you” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol simply nodded, leaning in, meeting his forehead with Baekhyun’s.

“Nothing matters more to me than you, Baekhyun. Not working together anymore, it doesn’t mean that I can’t ask them out to go and drink a beer together, no? And I will find some other work and if you are fine with it we can live in your apartment. And…” he started saying and Baekhyun nodded immediately.

“I’m more than fine with it, Chanyeol. But are you fine with it?” he immediately asked him back, stare worrying meeting Yeol’s, but on his lips the smile never faded nor faltered for a second.

“You are the only one important to me, Baekhyun. Now as in the future” he whispered and Baekhyun inhaled deeply closing his eyes.

“Fine… let’s do this. Together” he concluded and Yeol smiled again at him, closing his eyes too.

“Can I kiss you?” Yeol breathed between them, making Baekhyun chuckle softly before he could open his eyes, meeting Yeol’s already on his.

“Did you ever ask permission to kiss me?” he asked him and Yeol shook his head, lips already parting in an objection but Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“Then, don’t start. Even if the feelings are different, I still…” he started saying but Yeol closed the distance between their lips, softly kissing Baekhyun, slowly, passionately, simply enjoying that contact between them and Baekhyun couldn’t ask for something better.

He loved how Yeol’s lips fitted perfectly with his, how their smoothness and flavor never changed, feeling always new but in the meantime _home_.

They kissed in silence, softly, gently, far so distant from their previous kisses, mainly filled with passion and lust.

“So…” Baekhyun started gently parting their lips and Yeol’s stare was immediately on him, interested.

“I’m your real love?” he asked him and Yeol chuckled softly, nodding.

“You and no one else” he replied briefly, thumbs caressing Baekhyun’s lips, making him smile even more.

“For real?” he asked him and Yeol chuckled again kissing the tip of his nose.

“How many times you plan to ask me just to hear me say that I love you?” he asked back making Baekhyun chuckle too.

“It just feels like a miracle happening” Baekhyun whispered and Yeol smiled wider at him.

“A miracle is you happening in my life, Baek” he retorted making Baekhyun’s eyes go wider in surprise, blush gently caressing his cheeks.

“Ah, I’m not ready to have you around this cheesy” Baekhyun whined making Yeol snort, shaking his head.

“I know that you love it already” he commented and Baekhyun smiled even wider at him.

“I do, yes. As everything else of you” he concluded before pulling him down again for a kiss and, what could he want more than in that moment?

Everything was settled.

The diamond was still in his hands.

Nobody tried to kill him anymore.

And Yeol loved him back as he did.

Maybe Yeol wasn’t so wrong in his cheesiness.

A miracle was indeed Yeol happening in his life.

_One year later_

“Next investment is air conditioning in this house” Yeol whined entering Baekhyun’s apartment, that night, while Baekhyun was sitting on the couch, getting some news on gems prices those days.

“Oh, you always whine about being too hot” he stated almost without turning around to greet Yeol.

But Yeol reached him from behind placing a kiss on the top of his head.

“Yet here you are with a hoodie on. Aren’t you hot?” he asked him and Baekhyun smirked at him.

“Tell me, when I’m not hot?” he replied making Yeol groan in frustration before moving toward the kitchen.

“I stopped by _Cloud9_ and bought an ice cake. Want to share or I have to eat it alone?” Yeol asked him but Baekhyun was already up and sitting on one of the high stools in the kitchen.

Yeol chuckled softly picking up a knife and Baekhyun hummed softly in thought.

“Is there a special reason why the cake or you just fancied it?” he asked him and Yeol smiled softly.

“Don’t feign innocence I know you didn’t forget” Yeol countered immediately and Baekhyun beamed at him.

It was one year since Yeol moved in with Baekhyun.

A lot of things changed since then.

Yeol moved in pretty much after their return from Incheon.

It was like they never parted their ways neither once.

All felt the same, if not all the doubts and all the weird feelings Baekhyun had in the start about Yeol loving him or not.

Sometimes they still went to visit Myeon and it was a good thing, apparently, since it meant getting to know that Jondae started using the few things that Baekhyun taught him to help Xiumin in some of their tasks.

Not that Baekhyun really approved about it, but it couldn’t stop it either so he kind of supported it.

The relationship between Jondae and Xiumin was, in a word, blooming.

Perfect as probably nothing else.

Apart from Baekhyun’s own relationship with Yeol.

Yeol settled down almost immediately with Baekhyun.

It was easy to live the two of them in Baekhyun’s old apartment.

Yeol was… the best under every aspect.

Baekhyun couldn’t say anything about how he was.

For the first period in which he looked for a job, he always prepared lunch and dinner for Baekhyun, did laundry and all the chores that Baekhyun never managed to do since he spent too many hours in the shop.

Even though he tried to diminish them, in order to spend more time with Yeol, things that pleased both.

Then, when Yeol found a job as waiter in a cafeteria nearby, they started dividing the chores, the expenses and… it was a real cohabitation.

Everything was perfect then.

Including sex, but there was there since the very start so…

“Speaking of being one year…” Baekhyun started saying sitting up while Yeol was cutting the cake and frowned deeply at the whole _one year_ mentioning.

“I found it today, making some order in the shop…” he started saying going to retrieve the garnet bracelet he did one year ago, while thinking of how much he loved Yeol without being able to meet him.

“I don’t believe you. You _really_ ordered the shop?” he asked him from the kitchen and Baekhyun snorted shortly.

“Only the back, actually only my desk…” he started saying hearing Yeol chuckling from the kitchen.

“This seems more plausible actually” he commented while Baekhyun was returning in the kitchen with the small velvety box in his hands.

Yeol’s hands stopped on the cake, eyes getting wider in perplexity.

“Baekhyun… what?” he asked him and Baekhyun smiled softly at him.

“It’s nothing, really” he whispered, giving the small box to Yeol who took it, astonished, before opening it and his eyes sparkled gently, seeing the small accessory.

“Red as passion and love…” he breathed and Baekhyun hummed softly.

“I… obtained it after the first mission we did together and it remembered me of your lips, after that first stolen kiss at Xing’s house. And you said that you liked red gems like garnet and ruby” Baekhyun started saying, fingers playing with his own rings, stare moving away.

“And when we... didn’t see anymore, I crafted it while thinking of you, feeling a bit blue” he ended, briefly glancing toward Yeol who was speechless.

“Baekhyun, I… what? How?” he started saying but Baekhyun smiled softly at him.

“I was sure you would feel pressured if I told you that I did something for our anniversary, since we are both persons that normally wouldn’t care about _this_ that much…” he started saying and from the stare he received from Yeol, he knew he wasn’t mistaking.

“You are the worst, really. This is beautiful and I really didn’t buy you anything…” Yeol objected but Baekhyun shook his head.

“I… didn’t make this just because it was our anniversary, babe, it was already done. I simply found it suitable for the moment since I’ve already crafted and it was yours since the very start?” Baekhyun whispered, nearing him and gently caressing his arm.

Yeol leant in, kissing the top of Baekhyun’s head.

“I don’t know what to say, Baekhyun is… the prettiest thing I’ve ever saw apart from you” he stated softly making Baekhyun chuckle.

“Oh, so I’m pretty?” he asked him back, taking the small bracelet, opening it and Yeol neared his left hand to Baekhyun, allowing him to putting it on.

“Yeah? I mean, when you are not stunningly hot, definitely pretty…” Yeol replied, moving his lips from Baekhyun’s hair to his temple and placing a soft kiss there.

“Sure, sure…” he muttered even if he felt a bit of warm raising to his cheeks.

“Especially with this hoodie, that it’s unmistakably mine, and only boxer under it…” Yeol added, lips moving again, this time on Baekhyun’s ear, gently biting it, making him hide a shiver, biting his lips.

“Wasn’t there the cake before?” Baekhyun whispered, closing the bracelet around Yeol’s wrist and moving his stare on him.

Yeol looked at the bracelet, eyes sparkling like a kid who see a jar full of candies.

“You like it?” Baekhyun asked him softly, even if he was more than pleased by Chanyeol’s reaction.

“I love it, Baek. It’s… the best present I’ve ever received in my life. Thank you” he stated before hugging him super tightly at him.

Baekhyun still wasn’t exactly used to Yeol’s hugs.

They were so warm and so sweet that Baekhyun felt overwhelmed by them.

However, never refused them nor distanced Yeol those times that he initiated them.

And even before he could comment about Yeol’s words or the whole situation in general, Yeol hummed briefly, snuggling his nose in Baekhyun’s hair.

“Let’s eat a slice of cake before deciding what to do tonight?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded shortly, caressing Yeol’s sides.

“Baby, if you do like this I won’t ever let you go…” Yeol warned him and Baekhyun chuckled softly before tickling him, making Yeol wriggle away, protecting his sides with his hands.

“Let’s eat” Baekhyun stated and Yeol nodded cutting two different slices before putting the rest in the fridge.

Yeol pushed the dish with the two slices in the middle of the table, halfway between him and Baekhyun.

“There’s too much cream to eat it with…” Yeol started saying but Baekhyun was already picking up a piece of it with his fingers before putting it in his mouth, closing his eyes, humming in contentment.

“I love _Cloud9_ cakes so much…” he let out, before picking up another piece.

He was about to bring it again in his mouth when he met his stare with Yeol’s that was perplexed and flustered on his fingers.

“If you don’t want to dirty your fingers, you can eat from mine” Baekhyun whispered lowly, voice becoming almost a soft purr and Yeol’s eyes became even wider in surprise.

“You don’t want to?” Baekhyun added briefly, bringing them again to his mouth, eating the small piece of cake and then making great gesture of sucking on his own fingers just to remove the extra cream from them, stare never leaving Yeol’s.

Yeol was… flustered.

And clearly interested.

Baekhyun picked up another small piece and stretched his arm toward Yeol who opened his mouth, eating the cake directly from Baekhyun’s fingers, lips brushing on them, licking away the cream.

Baekhyun smiled at him, feeling a hot shiver running down his spine.

He loved Yeol’s lips _oh so much_.

And all of that was _way too_ arousing.

“Ah, you have some here” Baekhyun whispered, thumb gently wiping the corner of Yeol’s lips and even before he could move it away from his face to lick it clean, Yeol took Baekhyun’s hand in his and gently licked his thumb clean, stare not leaving Baekhyun’s.

Two could play the same game apparently.

Yeol moved his stool closer to Baekhyun, reducing their distance, pulling the dish with him.

“I don’t mind you feeding me…” he breathed and Baekhyun chuckled softly, smiling at him.

“Let me, then” he concluded, picking up another piece of it and starting feeding Yeol who made everything look excessively hot and sensual in Baekhyun’s opinion.

Not that he didn’t like it, at all…

He loved it, simply seeing Yeol eating from his fingers, sucking and licking on them should be classified as R-18 material.

Yeol was provocative and sexy as he was since the very start and that still caused Baekhyun some heart attacks sometimes, because he hoped that, on a long run, he would manage to finally get used to Yeol’s sexiness but he was utterly and undeniably mistaking.

Baekhyun wiped the last bit of cream from the dish before offering his fingers to Yeol one last time, and Yeol licked them so slowly and so alluringly that Baekhyun couldn’t do anything but stare.

Because it was… arousing and he wanted Yeol so much.

“Babe” Baekhyun called him and Yeol hummed shortly before popping out Baekhyun’s fingers from his mouth.

“You still have here” Baekhyun started saying making a move to remove it but Yeol leant in, near him and whispered a soft _you could lick it away directly_ , that took Baekhyun’s breath away.

“You are impossible” Baekhyun retorted but leant in nevertheless, slowly licking it away, but knowing that he couldn’t stay away from Yeol’s lips.

And Yeol knew it too.

Baekhyun started kissing him slowly, softly, cake flavor still on both their lips.

Yeol’s fingers carded in his hair, pulling him near, deepening the kiss, tongue not so gently licking its way in Baekhyun’s mouth, making him hum in appreciation.

They knew each other and their own tastes so good that they could play that game for forever.

“Too bad It’s over” Yeol whispered between their lips and Baekhyun chuckled softly.

“Actually there’s another big part in the fridge…” he commented shrugging his shoulders and when Yeol’s eyes went wider in surprise, he added a small _just saying_ , that made Yeol explode in a sound laugh.

“This cake is too good though for playing around with it…” he started saying and Baekhyun was partially agreeing, since how good Yeol’s lips still felt on his fingers.

“We have… whipped cream, gentle courtesy of Dae and the strawberries he brought two days ago” he added and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in astonishment before he could let out another chuckle.

“Uh, whipped cream. It’s getting kinky here” he started saying even though he liked that idea more than he could care to admit.

“Tell me you don’t like and I will put it away again” Yeol commented while he was already pulling it out from the fridge, but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Heavens forbid. We have to put it to a good use since the strawberries are finished and we don’t have anything else to eat it with” Baekhyun added and Yeol smirked toward him.

“I have to correct you. There’s still _someone_ you could eat with it” Yeol objected and Baekhyun almost choked on his own breath because… _how in the world Yeol could be that smooth in saying those things_?

“You will never change” Baekhyun groaned, finally sitting up from his stool and nearing Yeol who chuckled softly.

“I suppose it’s a good thing?” he asked him and Baekhyun bit his own lips before taking the whipped cream from Yeol’s hand and gesturing him toward the bedroom.

“Start undressing on the way there” Baekhyun stated, slapping Yeol’s butt and making him snort before he could start walking toward the bedroom, leaving clothes after him and making a grand show of removing _every single item with the slowest movements ever_.

“You are teasing” Baekhyun stated but Yeol glanced at him from over his shoulder, before leaning down and removing his boxer before entering the bedroom where Baekhyun followed him.

And when Baekhyun entered the room Yeol was splashed in all his naked glory on their bed, arm sustaining his head and winking at him.

Baekhyun groaned, shaking his head.

It was in the meantime the funniest and most arousing thing ever.

“Won’t you reach me here, _baby_?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun chuckled again, pulling at the zip of his hoodie, opening it and taking it off, before throwing it on the desk and reaching Yeol on the bed.

“You are still too dressed” Yeol complained immediately, fingers getting to the hem of Baekhyun’s t-shirt and playing with it, gently caressing also the skin under it.

“What difference does it make for the moment…?” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol shook his head, pulling again at the t-shirt and Baekhyun complied removing it, revealing how aroused he was, earning himself a satisfied stare from Yeol.

“Oh, I like that” Yeol stated, fingers reaching the hem of Baekhyun’s boxers too, but Baekhyun gently pushed on the bed, laying down, towering over him.

“Didn’t you want to play a bit more?” he asked him and Yeol nodded decidedly.

“Let’s play then” Baekhyun concluded, shaking the bottle of whipped cream before putting it a bit on his own fingers, licking them, tasting it.

It was cold, maybe too much to be put directly on skin, but if it passed before from Baekhyun’s fingers…

Baekhyun moved his fingers gently on Yeol’s collarbones, before leaning in and starting licking and nibbling on him, erasing all the traces of cream.

Yeol groaned lowly under him, skin exploding in goosebumps and making Baekhyun bit his lips, interested at the immediate reaction.

He wasn’t the only one enjoying it, apparently.

Baekhyun put another bit on his fingers before moving on the other sides, licking and biting also there, sucking a hickey, red blooming under the residual white of the cream.

Baekhyun licked everything away, making Yeol moan lowly, fingers carding in Baekhyun’s hair, gently pulling.

“Aren’t you taking it too slow?” Yeol asked him but Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle.

“Isn’t it the plan to finish it? There’s still a lot” Baekhyun whispered making Yeol groan again, slightly arching his back, erection brushing against Baekhyun’s, making them both moan lowly.

“Still… don’t take too much” Yeol muttered and Baekhyun nodded softly, pouring some cream on his fingers again and gently smearing it on Yeol’s left nipple, making him bit his lips softly.

“Cold?” Baekhyun asked him and when Yeol nodded shortly, Baekhyun immediately leant in, licking it away, feeling Yeol’s nipple hardening at the difference between the cold of the cream and the warm of Baekhyun’s tongue.

“It doesn’t seem you dislike it, tho…” he observed, tongue playing a bit more with it, fingers gently going to pull the other, making Yeol arch his back, letting out a low moan, fingers pulling Baekhyun’s hair.

“ _Oh_ ” Baekhyun let out interested, putting a bit more of cream on Yeol’s nipples, this time both, making him groan lowly, erection getting visibly thicker than before.

Baekhyun started licking again one of the two, while his fingers went to play with the other, smearing the cream on it and around it, making Yeol whimper under him.

“Still too cold…? I thought you were too hot today…” Baekhyun whispered but Yeol groaned again, biting his lips.

“It’s… a strange sensation and” he started saying, forcing his stare on Baekhyun who found it aroused and lustful, “I don’t dislike it at all” he ended up saying, making Baekhyun smile softly toward him.

“And isn’t it good? You know that your pleasure is mine” Baekhyun whispered, licking softly again his nipple, removing more cream from it and making Yeol arch his back again.

“I could come only from this” Yeol muttered and Baekhyun chuckled softly.

“Wanna try?” he proposed him and Yeol gulped down before shaking his head.

“I know that it’s never a good idea to challenge you concerning these things” he let out arm covering his eyes, clearly embarrassed by the revelation and Baekhyun snorted shortly.

“Maybe next time, then? Let’s proceed with this first” Baekhyun breathed before leaning down again and continuing his work on Yeol’s nipples, before descending along his torso, his sides, stopping shortly on his navel and on his hipbones.

Yeol was… perfect under him, sparkling under the lights a mix between sweat and Baekhyun’s saliva, trembling with pleasure, moaning Baekhyun’s name.

“It’s almost over… Let’s use the last bit for this…?” Baekhyun proposed him, fingers gently caressing Yeol’s full erected shaft, making it twitch and Yeol bit his lips again, nodding shortly, fingers carding again in Baekhyun’s hair, gently.

Baekhyun poured until the very last bit of it on his fingers and then smeared it on Yeol’s erection, partially mixing it with pre-cum that was gliding down his erection.

Yeol moaned lowly at the contact with the cream that despite being less cold than before it still was cold.

Baekhyun leant down, licking it slowly, leisurely, from the base to the tip, tongue covering every place, every single inch of Yeol’s erection.

Yeol gripped harder in his hair, groaning lower, biting his lips.

“Baek…” he breathed and Baekhyun raised his stare on him, humming in reply but not stopping his ministrations on Yeol’s erection.

“You should be illegal. You don’t know what you do to me…” Yeol muttered, caressing Baekhyun’s hair and making Baekhyun huff a soft chuckle before shaking shortly his hair.

“Let me entertain you even more” he breathed finally taking all Yeol’s erection in his mouth and starting to suck, hand placing at its base, helping him with the movement.

Yeol moaned even louder than before, simply thrusting inside Baekhyun’s mouth, simply letting himself go, clearly at his limit, looking for his release.

And Baekhyun followed his pace, letting him thrust as he pleased, adapting to it, fingers moving to stimulate Yeol’s ball, making him arch more his back, thrusting even deeper in Baekhyun’s mouth.

“More” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun hummed on his erection before moving faster the hand at the base and sucking him harder, feeling him come in few more sucks, hot and salty mixing with the sweetness of the whipping cream.

Baekhyun took every single drop of Yeol’s come, swallowing down before pulling out with a soft, lousy pop.

Yeol was panting, breath coming shorter and arm covering his eyes.

“You… okay?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol nodded briefly before giving him a short thumb up.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, cleaning his mouth with the back of his hand.

“You seem… spent. Want me to bring you some water?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol nodded shortly.

Baekhyun sat up going toward the kitchen and picking up a new bottle of water from the fridge, bringing it back to the bedroom.

“Don’t drink too fast…” Baekhyun whispered, opening the bottle and Yeol nodded briefly, starting to slowly drink, but finishing it nevertheless.

Baekhyun sat near him, observing even if he was slightly worried.

It was the first time that Yeol was that taken after a _simple_ blowjob.

“If you are feeling…” Baekhyun started to say but Yeol, after capping again the emptied bottle, pushed Baekhyun on the bed, hovering him.

“The only thing I’m feeling is _hot_ and _fucking aroused_ like few times before. I thought that I was prepared to _you_ and how hot and stunning and erotically pleasing you can be. But damn if I was wrong…” Yeol breathed, fingers carding through his own hair, pulling behind, before leaning down and breathing hotly against Baekhyun’s lips.

“And here we are, with you looking so freaking good, like you don’t give a damn of the fact that you just gave me the best blowjob I’ve ever received” Yeol whispered softly and Baekhyun smirked shortly, fingers carding through Yeol’s hair and pulling him even nearer, lips almost meeting.

“You were so sexy, babe, what else was I supposed to do? And you literally asked for it, if you want to know. The cream idea was yours” Baekhyun objected but he wasn’t complaining at all.

Instead he was even more satisfied that every other blowjob he ever gave before.

And probably the memory of Yeol so beautiful, flushed and aroused would remain impressed in his mind for forever too.

“Tell me you didn’t like it…” Yeol groaned against Baekhyun’s lips and Baekhyun shook softly his head.

“I _loved_ it, babe. Like I love you and everything concerning you” Baekhyun breathed back, eyes meeting with Yeol’s, making him smile softly at him.

“We are not done yet, tho. You know it?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed shortly.

“Don’t force yourself. If you are…” he started saying but Yeol closed that small distance, pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s.

It was only a brief kiss, probably just to shut him up.

“I told you, I want you so bad… And I want to feel you inside me” Yeol breathed making Baekhyun bit his own lips, stare searching inside Yeol’s, wondering, trying to understand.

“You didn’t exactly tell me this, but I think we can do something about this too” Baekhyun finally chuckled, fingers going to play with Yeol’s hair on his nape and Yeol almost purred at the affectionate gesture despite the sensual moment.

“Can I do something for you too?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly, interested by the proposal.

“Are you… planning something?” he retorted and Yeol nodded softly, stretching shortly to retrieve lube from the nightstand.

“You always insist in doing it yourself, but I know that you enjoy watching too” he whispered and Baekhyun gulped down, nodding, already knowing what Yeol was referring to and knowing that he would have liked it.

One day, Baekhyun asked to Yeol if he ever fingered himself before or also after knowing Baekhyun.

And he never saw something as sexy as a reply to _how do you touch yourself when I’m not there with you?_

Baekhyun sat up better, leaning his back to the bed headboard.

“Show me how you do it” Baekhyun breathed and Yeol bit his lips, inhaling softly and nodded shortly, closing his eyes.

Yeol poured some lube on his fingers, smearing it between them, gently moving it on his own nipples, gently circling them, pulling them, biting his own lips, pleasure already clearly showing, especially since how much Baekhyun tortured his nipples before with his lips and teeth.

Yeol exhaled a breathy moan, low and almost imperceptible but Baekhyun had all his sense focused only on Yeol and he could feel his everything.

He liked how Yeol was for some ways gentler than him and for other, knowing his body probably at least a bit better than Baekhyun, also ruder for some other ways.

Yeol’s fingers went to his own erection, tugging it, more pre-cum beads forming on its tip, sparkling brilliantly under the lights of the bedroom.

He spread his legs wider, pouring more lube on his fingers before reaching his entrance and starting to play with it.

“Babe, come closer, let me see more of what you’re doing” Baekhyun whispered and Yeol opened his eyes, looking inside Baekhyun’s.

“You want to see more?” he asked softly and when Baekhyun nodded in reply, Yeol hummed nearing him, but… turning around, showing his back and Baekhyun was momentarily surprised but when Yeol inserted the first finger inside himself, arching his back and pushing down on it, Baekhyun was… speechless.

It was perfect, even more than the previous times.

Yeol’s wide back arching, stretching, flexing to adapt to his own movement inside himself was perfection.

And Baekhyun loved seeing Yeol’s fingers disappearing inside himself, hearing him muffle low moans and curses.

One finger became two, Yeol’s voice becoming lower and more breathy as he fingered himself, and Baekhyun was sure that his erection was hard and leaking as if he never came before that evening.

But then… Baekhyun had a great idea.

“Bend a bit forward for me, babe” he whispered and Yeol glanced at him from over his shoulder, perplexed but did as told, bending almost imperceptibly forward, and Baekhyun neared him gently caressing, only with his fingertips Yeol’s spine, making his skin explode in goosebumps and, startled by the sudden touch, Yeol fell forward on the bed, almost like he has on all four, but using his forehead and one of his arm as sustain instead the both of them, since that one was still inside himself.

Baekhyun groaned at the sudden vision and… he could resist himself.

He slightly gripped on Yeol’s buttocks, spreading it wider, allowing Yeol’s fingers more in, starting a different pace from before, slightly faster and he could hear Yeol’s moans.

Baekhyun leant down adding saliva to Yeol’s entrance, licking where Yeol’s fingers were entering, making Yeol whimper lowly.

“B-Baekhyun, what…?” he started saying but Baekhyun added more saliva before gently pushing in one of his fingers too, making Yeol arch his back, moaning loudly at the sudden insertion.

“You are so beautiful” Baekhyun breathed, starting to move his finger inside Yeol, trying to match Yeol’s fingers same tempo.

Yeol was whimpering again, moaning and calling Baekhyun’s name at almost every single thrust.

However, Baekhyun bit his lips softly, testing Yeol’s entrance before deciding to thrust in another of his fingers, that being more slender than Yeol’s, were slightly more than one of his fingers.

Yeol cried in pleasure arching his back even more, allowing Baekhyun to thrust his fingers even deeper, reaching Yeol’s prostate, hitting on it and making Yeol a moaning mess.

Baekhyun leant in and started to bite and lick Yeol’s nape and shoulders, thrusting steady and fast inside him, making Yeol moan even louder than before.

“Baek, please, don’t…” Yeol whispered after another powerful thrust against his prostate and Baekhyun stilled his fingers inside Yeol, waiting for him to speak.

When nothing came, Baekhyun leant even down, speaking directly in Yeol’s ear.

“Did I hurt you? Do you want me to stop?” he asked him briefly, gently kissing his hair and temple, but Yeol shook his head, muttering something that Baekhyun didn’t take it for how soft and low it was.

“Babe?” Baekhyun asked him again and Yeol inhaled deeply before speaking up again, this time slightly louder.

“Take me. Fuck me like you only can do, making me plead for more” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun nodded shortly, kissing his temple softly.

Yeol removed his fingers from himself but Baekhyun left him there, gingerly, leisurely moving them inside Yeol, who groaned lowly at the friction.

“Do you have any preference or…?” Baekhyun asked him even though he was dying to take Yeol from that position, as they were, simply pounding inside him, making him come and ask for more and more.

“As we are is fine too, if you are okay with it” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun was _more than fine with it_.

“Perfect” Baekhyun replied, pulling down his boxer, gently pressing his hand on his own erection before quickly tugging it, already hard and wanting for Yeol.

And he was about to stretch toward the nightstand to retrieve a condom when Yeol spoke softly up.

“I’ve just a request” he breathed and Baekhyun stilled, all the attention focused on Yeol and what he was about to say.

“I know that’s… strange and I almost never ask you to, but…” he started saying and Baekhyun frowned shortly, trying to understand what he was hinting to.

And when nothing came after that _but_ , Baekhyun gently caressed Yeol’s back.

“You can ask me whatever, babe. If I can, I will gladly satisfy you” he whispered and Yeol hummed briefly before inhaling deeply.

“I want to feel you coming inside me” he let out and Baekhyun bit his lips, groaning lowly.

It was _super rare_ that Yeol asked him not to use a condom, mainly because it was a mess and cleaning after was… bothersome.

Despite the first times of their acquaintance being filled with this type of experiences, in their everyday life, Yeol usually preferred it with.

“Are you sure? Later it will be…” Baekhyun started saying but Yeol shook his head.

“Do you want me to plead for it…?” he asked him back and Baekhyun snorted shortly, shaking his head too.

“For how much I would like to hear you asking _oh so nicely_ for it, it’s not necessary” Baekhyun replied shortly since he was already at his own limits too and he wanted it how much Yeol wanted it.

However, Yeol surprised him again that night, flaunting his best _aegyo_ mixed to his usual way of speaking and asking things, resulting in something so perfect, as Yeol himself, definitely killing Baekhyun once and forever.

“ _Baekhyunnie_ , please. I want to feel you coming inside me, so please, will you give it to me raw and hot as only you can do and will fuck me until I will ask you to stop because otherwise tomorrow I can’t work?” Yeol let out, voice low and soft, reaching directly Baekhyun’s erection, getting it thicker and making Baekhyun groan lowly, hand moving to grip on Yeol’s buttock.

“You want it as we are, babe? And you have to stop me, because I would never have enough of you” Baekhyun breathed leaning in and biting Yeol’s ear.

Yeol moaned, arched his back, rubbing his ass against Baekhyun’s erection that fitted perfectly between his buttocks, making them both moan again.

“I will never have enough of you either, Baekhyun. I just… have to stand all day tomorrow and I don’t want to limp like an old man” he whispered making Baekhyun chuckled softly before kissing his nape and his shoulders.

“At your order” he concluded, guiding his erection toward Yeol’s entrance and thrusting slowly in, enjoying the stretch and Yeol’s tightness until he bottomed out, making Yeol groan lowly, throwing his head back, welcoming Baekhyun’s erection.

“Full” Yeol breathed, voice low and velvety, and Baekhyun loved Yeol’s voice so much while they were having sex.

It was even lower, deeper, arousing.

Baekhyun started moving inside him, slowly, leisurely, trying to enjoy that sensation as much as possible before his own orgasm started to climb as fast as never, probably seeing as excited he was.

Yeol, though, was less patient than him, starting to meet Baekhyun’s thrust with his own body, pressing against them, trying to set a faster pace and Baekhyun smiled softly before leaning down and starting to kiss Yeol’s shoulders.

Baekhyun quickened the pace, hand gripping harder on Yeol’s side, making him moan louder, arching his back more, taking Baekhyun’s erection even deeper inside himself, and Baekhyun knew he was hitting in the right place when Yeol gripped harder on the blanket under them, biting his lips, barely muffling a moan.

“Let yourself go, babe. Let me hear you and feel your everything” Baekhyun breathed kissing his back and thrusting harder inside him, making Yeol moan loudly.

“Baekhyun” he called him and Baekhyun kissed his back again.

“I’m here, Chanyeol. Will you come for me, showing me how good I can make you feel?” Baekhyun breathed and Yeol nodded shortly, pressing better against Baekhyun’s thrusts, meeting them and setting an even quicker pace.

And Baekhyun followed it, pounding inside Yeol feeling him coming hard and hot on the blankets, moaning louder his name, squeezing Baekhyun’s erection tightly inside him, making Baekhyun muffle a curse.

Baekhyun kept up the pace, chasing his own orgasm, feeling his own erection getting thicker, asking for a release inside Yeol’s warmth and tightness.

Everything was so perfect, Yeol panting and moaning under him, the whole foreplays before… Baekhyun was so in love with everything and with Yeol that sometimes he could still feel like he was living a dream.

Baekhyun was almost there too, feeling it pooling, warm and pushing him over the edge with an alarming quickness, Yeol moaned lowly, gripping again on the blankets under them.

“Baek… Baekhyun please more” he moaned and Baekhyun bit his lips, moving his hand to reach Yeol’s erection finding it again hard and stroking it at the same tempo as his thrusts inside him.

“Come with me” Yeol breathed and Baekhyun didn’t need him to ask, stroking him even harder and thrusting harder inside Yeol, orgasm hitting him hard, as hard he gripped even harder on Yeol’s erection, literally _milking_ his orgasm out, making him cry in pleasure, coming again in a mantra of _Baekhyun_ s and _I love you_ s.

Baekhyun came in flashes of opalescent lights, sparkling brightly as a diamond reflections in his mind, warm as only Yeol could be.

“I love you, babe. And you are… so beautiful and so sparkling. My personal diamond” Baekhyun breathed, peppering kisses along Yeol’s shoulders and spine.

Everything was perfect and Baekhyun couldn’t ask for something more.

Yeol moved his hand, gently caressing Baekhyun’s hair while he was kissing his back, stroking them softly.

“I didn’t know I earned the prestigious nickname of _your diamond_ ” he whispered amused and Baekhyun snuggled his nose in Yeol’s hair.

“Why not? You are… perfect and sparkling as one of those beautiful and almost flawless diamonds. I… always thought about it, actually. Since the first night I held you” Baekhyun explained, feeling a bit of warmth reaching his cheeks, probably tinting them red.

“You never told me” Yeol retorted shortly, interested more than annoyed.

Baekhyun groaned lowly, snuggling again his nose in his hair.

“Because it’s fucking embarrassing, babe. I mean I’m a jeweler and comparing you to the king of all the gemstone is like saying that you are the most perfect thing in this world and that everything else compared to you vanish because it doesn’t stand the comparison” Baekhyun explained, hiding his face in Yeol’s shoulders but Yeol didn’t let him hide in peace.

“Exit and let me hug you” he almost ordered and when Baekhyun exited him, Yeol immediately rolled on the side, pulling Baekhyun down with him, muttering a soft _come here baby_ , that made Baekhyun’s cheeks take fire again.

“You are the best, baby. So soft and yet so fucking sexy and… did I tell you that I love you?” Yeol whispered, hugging Baekhyun super tightly at him, kissing Baekhyun’s face probably _everywhere_.

“You did, Chanyeol, now stop it… It’s embarrassing” Baekhyun retorted but Yeol shook his head shortly.

“Embarrassing is us not proposing to each other yet” Yeol stated out of the blue and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in surprise.

“You mean… marry?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol became serious immediately, nodding.

“Don’t you want to?” he inquired back and Baekhyun hummed before smiling softly.

“Of course, I want it. I just told you that you are my diamond and you think I don’t want us to marry?” Baekhyun retorted, frowning shortly but Yeol chuckled shortly, shaking his head.

“I just have a request…” Yeol stated and Baekhyun frowned shortly, interested in whatever that _request_ could be.

“Could you… make our wedding rings?” he asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding immediately.

“I just tell you that I won’t do something like my commissions for us. Is that okay for you?” Baekhyun asked him and Yeol snorted, nodding.

“Heavens forbid if I let you create something so plain for us” Yeol commented making Baekhyun explode in a sound laugh, filling the room.

“You really are my diamond, though, babe” Baekhyun whispered softly after that moment of laughter and Yeol smiled fondly at him.

“Only because you got me shining” he replied and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity, before he could feel _tears_ prickling at the corners of his eyes.

And even before Yeol could notice them, Baekhyun rolled distant from him, sitting up.

“Let’s celebrate. I’ll offer you dinner, since I still owe you one, and then drive you somewhere nice” Baekhyun stated and Yeol chuckled from the bed.

“After all I managed to make your heart flutter in Osaka? And somewhere nice…? To relax and chill or…?” Yeol inquired and Baekhyun chuckled softly too, shaking his head.

“It wouldn’t be that bad going back to that place in Hannam-dong” Baekhyun whispered, fingers carding through his hair, avoiding the whole _Osaka_ and _heart_ fluttering matter and Yeol hummed briefly, biting his lips.

“You know that if we go, we will end up having sex again?” Yeol asked him and Baekhyun snorted, nodding briefly.

“Wasn’t it for _relax and chill_? You proposed it, and it could be the good time that you stop riding me on the backseat of your car and let me show you something more interesting to do there?” Baekhyun proposed him and Yeol’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“As if this is not sufficient to reignite your lust, I remember you that from Hannam-dong you can see the cherry blossom in this period of the year” Baekhyun added and Yeol was already up, moving toward the bathroom, preceding him.

“So… Pizza? Or you prefer sushi?” he started saying and Baekhyun smiled softly, walking in the bathroom with him.

He knew how much Yeol loved cherry blossom after he realized his love for Baekhyun when he saw him under one of those.

And when, after dinner and with two beers in hands, they were sitting on the hood of Yeol’s Plymouth Duster, under a beautiful starry sky and a drizzle of cherry blossom petals falling like snow, everything seemed even more perfect than before.

“It seems like snow. The first flower snow of spring” Yeol let out softly and Baekhyun smiled nodding near him while smoking slowly.

“First snow like your first love?” he asked him and Yeol’s cheeks took fire, stare shifting away clearly embarrassed and Baekhyun stretched his arm over Yeol’s shoulders, pulling him near, kissing his temple.

“You are mine too” he whispered and Yeol smiled softly at him before, pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s.

And Yeol was exactly Baekhyun’s first and only love.

So perfect and sparkling so brightly that Baekhyun remained enthralled and fascinated from him since the very first time they saw each other.

And he would be for the rest of their lives too.

Because Baekhyun didn’t believe in fate or miracles, but Yeol was right.

A miracle happened.

And the result was them being together, nothing more nothing less, forever.


End file.
